The Price
by Nirrti
Summary: Post HBP. Severus can't cope with the consequences of his actions. He invokes a Goddess, but finds that she doesn't play by the rules. RLSS MPREG. The NC17 version is available upon request.
1. Chapter 1

The chaos surrounding the final battle against Voldemort was beginning to die down and the wizarding world was returning to something approximating "normal" again – if you discounted the widespread loss of life. Something that Severus Snape was completely and utterly unable to do.

"_Kill me like you killed him, you coward –"_

"_DON'T" screamed Snape "CALL ME COWARD!"_

Was he a coward? Should he have stood up to Dumbledore or was he right about what needed to be done? Nothing that had happened since had illuminated Severus as to why Albus Dumbledore had decided that his death was necessary for success. The fact that they did eventually succeed didn't halt Severus' questioning of the decision, or of his – almost forced – acquiescence to the elder man's demand.

Now, standing before the White Tomb, Severus had even less understanding of it all. He had torn the Dark Mark from his arm, in a fashion. When Harry had finally conquered Voldemort, it had been Severus that had trapped and destroyed that seemingly omnipotent soul. He still felt it's presence every day though, no longer because of his guilt over past action or because of the ever present fear that he would be called back to Voldemort's side for another round of "Prove you love me – Crucio". He felt its presence because it was responsible, symbolically, for ripping from his life the one man who had made it possible for his last acts regarding Voldemort to have been light instead of dark. Responsible for it to be possible that he had done the ripping himself. He had killed Albus Dumbledore.

He didn't know when he had fallen to his knees before the tomb and for this moment he was less concerned about his image that ever. It was unlikely that he would be seen, in the dark depths of the night. School was not something that was currently on the agenda of the wizarding world, it would be soon but for the moment the wizarding families were snuggled in their homes counting their live blessings and mourning their dead. But if there had been anyone to see him, he wouldn't have cared.

He tried to refuse the tears, but as sob-free as he remained, the saltine droplets slid down his cheeks unchecked. He had kept the barriers up for so long, hidden himself behind his defences to the point where he wasn't even sure himself about who he really was. The bitterness and anger that ate him up when there were no more actions to direct himself into had almost convinced him that that was who and what he was – a cold, calculated manipulator destined to outlive those whom he manipulated. But that wasn't remotely true, he had always been the on who was being manipulated, he had always been the one trying to maintain an air of dignity and control in a life where he had no control and no choices either. With freedom came choices and making those choices necessitated bringing down some of the barriers. To make a choice he had to have a preference. There was no power to be sought, but power hadn't been his craving since he was a teenager. So his choices were about what he wanted. Emotions. Breaking free of his shell to properly feel again. It was unusual and difficult and did not feel remotely good, but that was a choice too – to go through this or decay in bitterness. In one way what he was doing was an easy way out, but he felt that he needed to do it.

He leant forward and stuck his trowel deep into the earth at the base of the tomb. Smoothing it over with his bare and soiled palms, he checked that no-one would be able to tell that he had filled a herb pouch and desecrated Dumbledore's resting place.

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"Those are restricted texts"

The librarian of Esylania's public library peered imperiously over her scant spectacles at him, her crowlike talons firmly melded to her skeletal hips. She reminded Severus of his mother, but he dismissed the notion with a barely suppressed shudder. Silently he passed her his credentials. She hissed briefly at the name but passed it back and tutted off on her way to annoy some other poor sod who might be interrupting the quiet calm of her desires. Severus went back to his books.

The hiss took more toll on Severus than others might have expected. The Ministry of Magic had "eventually" released documents filed with them by Dumbledore. As a one time Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, no-one had any just cause to doubt his word. The documents had been tested by every known (and secretly known) means, and had been proven to be true, just and genuine. The wizarding world knew the truth about Severus Snape. They knew he was much defiled. They knew his actions were, in law, the actions of Albus Dumbledore. They knew that Dumbledore had ordered him to kill him. But on the odd occasion when he allowed himself to be seen long enough to be recognised (damn the Daily Prophet and their war biography section), the revulsion and condemnation he briefly found in the eyes he avoided, ripped straight to his heart and bled him dry of hope. He was used to hate and preferred it to pity, but it still shrieked of misunderstanding. He had been quietly classed as a war hero, one who had acted above and beyond the call of duty, one who had helped to turn and win the war. The fact that he had been the one to ensure that Voldemort's soul did not return was skated over, mumbled or plainly ignored. Oh, there were medals – but what the fuck use were medals? He would be more bitter about it if he didn't agree with them; the same revulsion and condemnation met him every morning in the mirror.

So here he was, researching borderline forbidden texts and planning to do the unthinkable. One more journey to the dark side.

He snuck a look for the motherish dragon. She was hovering by some blonde haired teenager who was chewing on a "library-property" quill, in case he made some mark on the prized text. My God, it was a Lockhart text – not really worth the protective tutting. But Severus took his chance, slipped the book beneath his robes and swept out, dousing the library's anti-theft charms as he went. He didn't bother to put them back up. Maybe the damn spotty oik would pilfer the Lockhart book and save countless children from such brain-damaging nonsense.

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Diagon and Knockturn Alley were even more uncharacteristically quiet than usual. Many shops were still closed; some of their proprietors were no longer around to "open up", some were too distraught at their personal losses to care and some were black blinded out of respect for the dead (and some thought it looked better than opening up regardless – but who was he to comment?). The shop that Severus was headed for would not be closed though. His intimate knowledge of the persons proprieting down this predictably shady street informed him that this particular shopkeeper would make profit from anything – Severus wouldn't put it past him to return as a ghost and sell tickets to his own funeral.

He was not disappointed. Utilis Fungor almost slithered over the counter, his eyes immediately penetrating to Severus' core. He laughed, although it sounded more like a fat muggle wheezing asthmatically through mucus-ridden lungs. Severus didn't move, he didn't even need to speak – Utilis sloughed around his shelves gathering ingredients into a small wooden crate. After an interminable period he slid the crate onto the counter and raised lice-infested eyebrows to indicate that Severus should check the contents. Severus checked, nodded and waited as the legilimatic creature chewed on his yellowing tongue – apparently an important aid to addition. He rung up a figure on the till and Severus paid the extremely extortionate quantity of galleons to the shopkeeper who charged – not by item value – but by silence value. Utilis mentally read your shopping list but he also read "why".


	2. Chapter 2

Breaking into the empty silent Hogwarts was nowhere near as difficult as the Ministry of Magic might have supposed. They left the restoration of the school and it's re-opening to its temporary headmistress, but they took on defence of the vacant property themselves. Therefore, although the wards were almost as strong as they were when Dumbledore was there – there were many things about Hogwarts that they were not to know.

Severus exited the tunnel under the Whomping Willow for the second time that week and ran. He again managed to avoid the thrashing flora and made his way up to the castle. Severus was not, however, the only one to know about Hogwarts secrets and curious eyes followed his progress across to the castle before following him.

It stung Severus to know that the confectionery password to Dumbledore's office had not changed. Minerva had not changed it when the school broke up for the holidays and the school had been empty since. The house elves had remained for a while, but three months after the war Hermione Granger had snuck back through the same passageway and explained to them that as there was no-one else in the castle, that made her their sole master and then she gave them all socks, all embroidered with the SPEW logo (Molly really shouldn't have taught her to knit). With no-one in the castle to look after and no Dumbledore to feel beholden to, they fled for their never-desired freedom and left the castle empty. Hermione left feeling smug and vindicated, unaware of what she left Hogwarts open to, Severus doubted that she would object – to either of the anticipated results.

Severus scaled the staircase and Dumbledore's study opened up for him, almost as if reading his intentions. He was shocked to find Fawkes still there, how on earth was he feeding himself? He retrieved the last of his ingredients – a phoenix feather.

Sweeping back the furniture with a flick of his wand, Severus poured a precise circle of salt onto the floor around him and after removing his robes he sat cross-legged and naked on the floor. This was not his forte, but it was dark enough for him to excel at it. This would succeed.

He took up the silver athame from the selection of objects which he had laid out before him. There was a brief rush of air from behind, forcing him to check over his shoulder. There was nothing there; he assumed that the elements were making themselves known in his working. This was new to him; he may have worked with the dead but he had never raised them himself before.

One diagonal cut across his palm and he was tracing the necessary symbols in his own blood inside the circle. He placed Dumbledore's wand in the centre – blood slicked and solitary. The phoenix feather, he stuck to his chest, over his heart with an "Adhero" charm. Then began the ritual in earnest. He mixed the contents of three different vials on the floor in front of him, covering the wand. Steam rose, then fire, then steam again and he starting his chanting.

"Incidere per vicis" (Cut through time)

Steam filled the room

"Tutis phasmatis" (Secure the spirit)

The sounds of the battle in the tower returned to haunt Severus Snape. He closed his ears to the torturous sounds and continued.

"EGO dedi meus vitualamen" (I offer my sacrifice)

The steam receded and blood seeped from his chest from beneath the phoenix feather. He heard an indrawn breath and assuming it was his own, he tried to control his breathing better.

"Meus vita pro suus vita" (my life for his life)

Severus felt his body become frozen, Petrificus Totalis unspoken – yet also unfalling, he remained upright and capable of speech.

"Restituo mage" (restore the mage)

Severus sealed his ritual with a mental flick of his wand, being physically incapable of wielding it he hoped that this would suffice.

He sucked in his breath as one of the symbols he had invoked rose up and became Goddess – naked, present and solid before his eyes. He briefly and inappropriately thanked the other Gods that he was gay or the meeting might have been more than a little embarrassing. She was astonishingly beautiful.

"For fuck's sake, has there not been enough death already?"

Aradia, White Goddess, supreme female amongst all Pagan gods, purest symbol of magic swore at Severus, put her hands on her naked hips and frowned at him. He was more than bemused; this was not at all what he had expected. In the (hopefully not) unlikely event that this succeeded, Severus had expected to have his life swiftly taken in exchange for Dumbledore's resurrection. That is what all the texts stated, that was the sacrifice demanded of him. Well, technically it didn't have to be his life, but that was what he was most comfortable with. Now, here was the supreme Goddess, naked, defiant and arguing with him. He was completely non-plussed.

"What?" his trademark indignance was in there but it was masked by his confusion.

Aradia took a step forward and surveyed the scene; she ran a finger through the already congealing blood on Severus' chest and looked frighteningly like Molly Weasley in a laundry-frenzy. She didn't however ask him how he managed to get through so many socks or why his boxers were always left inside his trousers (he knew he had spent too much time skulking and listening to other people's conversations!) – instead she knelt in front of him; eyebrows knotted and seemed to be appraising what kind of man he was. Severus waited.

When she spoke again, her voice was surprisingly soft.

"There has been enough death." Her statements held no room for disagreement; it was not an opinion, merely a fact.

"There has been enough loss. Not merely of life, but also of opportunities. It is not the time for more loss, even if it is offered in trade. It is time for life to breath again, to breed again. This ritual demands an offering of life and that cannot be changed, but I do not accept your life as forfeit for this action."

Severus would have moved, would have grabbed hold of the deity and shaken her, explained how his life was worth nothing, how Dumbledore's was worth anything – but he couldn't. She had taken speech from him too for the moment and he could do nothing but sit frozen and listen.

"I demand a life," she stated simply. "But the balance between living and dead is already out of kilter and I cannot take another life from this world, not even in replacement of another. My price is this; you will bear life. I will make it possible for this to occur. You will conceive a child, bear it to term and birth it. You will raise the child in the light; it will be a beacon by which others set the store of their behaviour. This child will not be taken from you, will not be given away and will never be subject to the darkness which you have endured, it will be loved. Conceive this child and I will fulfil my obligation to this ritual. Do you accept?"

Severus felt the magical restraints around him relax. He never even thought about the proposition before answering.

"Yes"


	3. Chapter 3

Severus was running. He had paused long enough to dress and now he was running. The Whomping Willow was in sight and his mind was racing.

A child. He felt the change as he responded to Aradia's offer. Something indescribable and warm spread across his insides and he knew that he was now able to conceive and carry a child. He did not permit himself a single "Why me?" as he sprinted across the grass. He wanted to outrun the situation he now found himself in. He had been completely prepared to die for Dumbledore, had been expecting it for years, almost felt that it was required of him – but this? He didn't know what to think or feel or do? How was he supposed to do this?

"SEVERUS! WAIT!"

If it was possible to freeze whilst still running, that is what Severus did then. Who the fuck...

He felt himself grappled to the ground. He turned furiously, instinct taking over and grabbed him assailant by the throat, twisting him to the weaker position beneath him.

"Wait!" Remus Lupin weakly repeated.

Severus released him and sat back on his haunches as Lupin rubbed his neck and gained a more upright position himself.

"What?" he asked eventually - finding himself non-plussed for the second time in less than an hour.

Lupin stared at him.

"What the fuck are you doing?" he asked at length.

Severus Snape faltered for a moment and physically forced his old habits to restore themselves. He managed a weak sneer.

"What does that have to do with you werewolf?" he rasped.

Lupin shook his head in disbelief.

"I was there Severus." he stated bluntly, "I saw and heard everything. Harry left his invisibility cloak here when it came to the final battle, there wasn't time to retrieve it and I came back to get it. I needed to get out of the house." he offered lamely in explanation of why the cloak needed retrieving. "I saw you come out from the Whomping Willow and followed you, under the cloak." Lupin stopped speaking and waited for Snape to say something, to say anything. He had followed all the reports, and yes the titillating biographies in the Daily Prophet. He had read that Severus had been exonerated from blame. He had also read about everything (reported) that Severus had had to go through over the years. His eyes held no condemnation and although Severus wondered if there was pity there, it was not pity so much as deep sorrow and shame that lay in Remus Lupin's eyes. Other actions may have preceded more important events, but he had deliberately and also unwittingly added to all that Severus Snape had had to deal with over the years. He sat facing him on the wet grass, full of a compassion and understanding that Severus had never known, and "almost" refused to recognise.

Severus didn't respond. Remus saw him try to curl a sneer. Watched as his eyebrows tried to rise in contempt and fell again, failing. Severus was wrung out, emotionally flailing and totally lost in circumstances of his own forging. Remus leant forward and brushed his damp hair from his face – when did it start raining?

"Are you really going to do this?" Remus asked at last.

Severus met his eyes again and tried to speak, it was becoming increasingly difficult to function, but he would be damned if he would let Lupin see that.

"What else am I supposed to do?"

Remus cradled Severus' face in one hand and wrapped the other around his shoulder, pulling him into what he hoped was a consoling embrace. Severus shrugged it off.

"Accept his death?"

"How can I? I killed him!"

"That was his choice." Remus had hated Severus for what he had done, but he was long past those feelings. In the three months since Voldemort's demise he had had a lot of emotions to deal with. So many people had been lost, and so many close to him had been spared. Severus' apparent betrayal and Dumbledore's apparent murder had not been the all of it, but for Remus it had certainly been the worst of it. So when the truth about the situation had been revealed he had quite literally sighed with relief. Severus had been an arsehole to everyone he knew, but there were reasons and explanations. He had caused pain, but he had received pain – far more than any other living being in this war. Remus accepted what had happened.

Severus didn't. That was his right.

"I could have refused."

"Could you?"

"No"

"Then..."

"I CANNOT live with this. It is too much."

Remus felt the shudder that ran through his almost friend, once colleague, wished lover and was horrified by what it meant.

"You wanted to die, didn't you?"

"Yes"

"Why?"

Severus pulled away and sat flat on the wet grass, he didn't have the energy to just walk away anymore. He let another barrier fall, a choice. It was a choice; he could have refused to talk.

"What have I to live for? My death would do more good than my life, but I can't even get that right. Anyway, who would care?" Remus thought he could see the moonlight reflecting off tears on Severus' cheeks. One thing he never questioned was what the moonlight showed him. Unwelcome as he felt it might be, he reached up a hand and brushed away the tears.

"I would care!"

Severus didn't respond at all. He allowed Remus Lupin to pull him into the comforting embrace, why did he make that choice? Severus ran out of steam as he allowed himself to lean physically and emotionally on another person and lapsed into the unconsciousness that had been threatening him since his draining encounter with Aradia. Remus didn't consider the same question though. He was thinking that Severus had made a promise to a goddess. He had agreed to bear life, to become pregnant. Remus wasn't sure what to make of it all, but he knew that Severus would not break his word and some part of him knew that involving himself now would mean something.


	4. Chapter 4

Severus awoke in his bed at Snape Manor. The last thing he remembered was...

...Lupin!

He groaned and sat up.

Nothing seemed unusual as he dressed and made his way out of his room. He chose to push last night's events to the back of his mind for the time being and concentrated on the anomaly of ending up in his own bed – how had Lupin managed to get past the wards?

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Remus Lupin howled. The only time in his entire life, including childhood, that he had ever howled whilst in human form. He continued howling until Snape's house elves came rushing down to the gate armed with flaming torches and Snapish scowls – how long exactly had they worked for the Snape family?

They could have argued, but as the werewolf was carrying an emotionally and physically exhausted and obviously unconscious "Master Severus" there really was little they could do. They let him in.

Severus had no idea that Remus was the one who cleaned the blood from him. No idea that Remus was the one who undressed him and "tucked him in". No idea that Remus refused the offer of one of the dozens of spare beds and slept outside Severus' door all night on a chaise lounge.

That was until Severus opened his bedroom door in the morning to see the sleeping werewolf clinging to the chair and snoring.

Severus hissed in his breath and prepared to ball out his one time enemy. Then he remembered how Lupin had been last night. No fight, but then there never was was there, he had made the fight himself with his barriers and defences. Remus was a kind man; Severus envied him that – though he was nowhere near being able to say so.

He knelt beside the sleeping form and indulged the temptation to run the back of his hand along the sleeping man's jaw. Severus was far from reviled by the stubbly growth on the man's face; he was never one to want his sensations "smoothed". He allowed himself a smile.

"I thought you might hit me" Remus murmured. Severus edged back a little. Remus grabbed his hand.

"Don't" he said, "don't back away from me now." There was a pleading yet commanding tone to his voice. Severus looked at the floor.

"Lupin..."

Remus swung his legs down to the floor and grasped Severus' face between his hands.

"I stayed up most of the night thinking about this Severus."

Severus refused to meet his eyes. Remus cupped his chin and made him look at him. He had been about to expound on his thinking but instead he leant forward and kissed Severus, first tentatively and gently, then more firmly and passionately. Severus resisted but Remus held him firm, it was not force, just not allowing Severus to run away. Severus struggled with this turn of events internally. It was unexpected, but didn't entirely feel that way. What was the choice here? Rejection or acceptance? His mind told him to flee, to smack up the barriers, but to reject Remus would be a big choice. There was no lucid thought behind the final decision and that itself said something about how far Severus had come, even if he didn't realise how far that was himself. He leant into the kiss. Remus parted Severus' resisting lips with his tongue and after a moment Severus began returning his kiss. Severus found he had passion that no-one had ever known was there.

As they broke away from the kiss, for air if for anything else, Severus' gaze immediately reverted to the floor. Remus again lifted his chin and sought his eyes until Severus could no longer deny the connection.

"Severus, what you promised last night..."

"I don't want to discuss it!" Severus rose and began to make his way down the staircase.

"Severus!" Remus called after him, a little indignantly. "For Gods' sake Severus! Have you thought about this at all?"

Severus swung round on Remus as he reached the bottom of the staircase.

"I made a deal. It cannot be reneged upon. I regret that you overheard but..."

"But what Severus? It isn't as if you can do this alone, is it?"

Severus froze. He really hadn't given the technicalities of this deal much thought. He had committed himself to resurrecting Dumbledore and that had been the promise that was demanded, he had agreed. Remus' observation was a new consideration. What did he intend anyway? Was he offering to father this child? If so, why?

"I don't understand!"

Remus sighed. He hadn't actually gotten any sleep. When Severus had found him, he had been asleep for maybe half an hour. The rest of the night he had sat up, first watching Severus sleep and then outside the door contemplating the "technicalities" of Severus' deal. Severus would go through with this; he would get pregnant by whatever means it took, he would have a baby and by the terms of the agreement he would keep and raise that baby. By doing this he would also bring Dumbledore back to life. Remus' mind boggled at the magnitude of what Severus was doing, but it wasn't a plan to be contested – the deal was made, Severus had accepted. Severus had to become a mother. That necessitated a father. Remus thought about the options that Severus had to achieve that and all of them, bar one, ended up with Severus getting fucked in a variety of seedy to plush locations – once, probably roughly and definitely by a stranger. No-one deserved that, least of all Severus Snape. All the options were empty valueless one night stands orchestrated purely for the purposes of getting Severus pregnant, but there would be repercussions on his emotions - which were evidently now in play. And of course, this wasn't merely a pregnancy; this would be a life, a child, a person. This would be Severus' child.

There were options, but Remus knew what he wanted now. If Severus was to have a child, if there was truly to be a life growing inside Severus Snape – then Remus wanted it to be his.

"Let me help." It was feeble and it didn't encompass anything that he wanted to tell Severus, but it was simple and the meaning was plain. Remus held out his hand and refused to break eye contact.

Another choice. Severus haltingly took the offered hand.


	5. Chapter 5

The bedroom door closed - on house elves, on breakfast, on any other kind of reality.

"Remus, do you..." Remus closed his mouth over Severus' and halted the question. Of course he knew what he was doing. He had dreamt about it for years, not that he was about to say that – yet.

Severus thankfully didn't refuse him. His tongue was as eager and as passionate as Remus'. The two men stood, locked together in their embrace, tasting each other. Remus slid Severus' robe off his shoulders, thankful that he didn't bother with all those ridiculous buttons in private. Pushing him back onto the bed he managed to pull Severus' simple shirt off his shoulders and was already unbuckling his own belt. They fought to keep their lips together, mouths hungry and devouring each other. Severus got his shirt off the rest of the way and tackled Remus trousers, Remus kicked them off. It was mere moments before they were naked in each other's embrace. Remus pushed away thoughts of the previous night, guilty that Severus' naked ritual had aroused him. Severus lay on the bed beneath him and it occurred to him for the first time that to "make it possible" might have meant significant alterations to Severus' physical form. Remus ran a tentative hand along his lover's thigh, Severus shuddered and Remus paused, the Slytherin seemed to be ready to run again but after a second he arched into the contact. Remus ran his fingers through the coarse black hair, around and along the perineum, no significant changes then. He smiled into another kiss and pushed his lover's legs apart with his knees.

He knew that there was some purpose to this, but that was not the only reason that it was happening and he was fairly certain that Severus was thinking about things other than fulfilling his promise right now.

Severus thought his senses could stand no more, he had pins and needles across his face and in all his limbs, he was screaming with joy, wanting more and not knowing if he could take it. Severus lost more barriers that night than in all the time leading up to it since Voldemort's defeat. Neither man had ever known a deeper joy, a deeper connection.

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Severus woke in his bed at Snape Manor. The last thing he could remember was...

...Remus.

Sticky, sweaty and deliriously happy. It didn't take as much effort to squash the desire to run. Remus stirred and wove his hands around the darker man's neck, pulling him into another kiss. Severus was beyond the capacity to ever even try to refuse – he pushed one leg between those of his lover and coiled himself around him like a snake.

They went back to sleep. When they awoke for the second time, daylight was streaming brightly mid-dayish through the arched leaded window. A house elf hurriedly deposited tea and croissants on the bedside table and ran away. Smiling, they gathered themselves together and brought the late breakfast tray onto the bed. With a mouthful of croissant, Remus remembered how this had all begun in the first place. He looked at Severus and raised one eyebrow.

"So," he said with a mouthful of bread product, "do you reckon we hit the spot?" The eyebrow waggled comically.

Severus looked vaguely embarrassed and buried his face in his tea cup. He mumbled something.

Remus looked amused, "Sorry I didn't catch a word of that"

Severus put the cup down and looked intensely serious.

"There is only one way to find out." He repeated.

Remus looked quizzical for a moment and then sprang into action. Completely naked and not remotely bothered about it, he crossed the room and retrieved his wand. Severus lay back, exposing his stomach and Remus pointed the wand.

"Ostendo gravidum"

Severus Snape sucked in his breath as a bright blue mist settled across his currently flat belly.

"Wow" Remus chuckled.

"That would be an understatement" gawped Snape, then in a moment of weakness said, "Oh wow" himself.

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Remus had returned to Hogwarts with Severus, he wasn't sure what help he could be but he felt that as the father of this baby he really ought to go too. Severus didn't object, in fact Severus took his hand and moved as close as possible to the father of his baby, a movement that Remus had absolutely no problem with at all.

Aradia smiled to see two naked men in the circle awaiting her, she really hadn't expected this – but it pleased her immensely. She agreed that the bargain was fulfilled on his side and she would fulfil her side of the bargain in return.

Aradia promptly disappeared and was immediately replaced by a very much alive and very much amused Albus Dumbledore.

"My dear boys."


	6. Chapter 6

Severus looked around for his clothes whilst trying to cover the dignity that he felt was rapidly slipping away from him. Remus chuckled and dropped the Accioed clothing into his lap. Dumbledore tactfully turned away and began fussing around Fawkes while the two men dressed.

His eyes were wrinkled with merriment and concern, turning to face the two men as they took chairs by his desk. Remus met the old man's gaze and smiled. Severus found that he couldn't look at him.

Dumbledore sat down and folded his hands on his desk.

"Do you have something to tell me?"

There was some fussing and mumbling, Dumbledore continued.

"This is somewhat unexpected, considering our last meeting."

Severus finally looked up to meet his eyes. Dumbledore was saddened to see them filled with shame and doubt.

"You did what I asked of you Severus." he said gently, and waited for Severus to respond. Remus opened his mouth to speak but Dumbledore held up a hand to stop him.

"I couldn't accept what happened. I ended up with no choice, but afterwards..." he trailed off, not knowing how to explain, or how much.

Dumbledore waved a hand to indicate that they all move over to a comfortable area of the office, one that didn't have a desk involved – making everyone feel as though they were involved in school discipline. Dumbledore made sure that they all sat so close that their knees were almost touching, he placed a fatherly hand on Severus' knee and made the man look at him.

"Well, obviously as I am here and moments ago I was not here, I can assume that you did something to bring me back. I am afraid that I am at a loss as to what that might be – although that" he swept a hand towards the bloody mess covering the circle behind him, "indicates something rather extreme."

"It was the Vita Verto ritual." Severus said quietly. Dumbledore's eyes widened.

"The Vita Verto?" he whispered, "What did you offer in sacrifice?"

"Myself"

Dumbledore smiled sadly, "That was rather foolish. We are both still here however." It was more of a question than a statement. Severus remained silent.

Remus sat up straight and took Severus' hand in his, Dumbledore's eyebrows rose slightly.

"Aradia refused his offer," Remus began, "She said that the balance between life and death was wrong, because of the war. She asked a different price."

Dumbledore waited but neither man elaborated further.

"Am I to know what the price for my life was?" Dumbledore liked to wait for people to be ready to tell him the things he wanted to know, they usually did. Severus was an entirely different kettle of fish however. Over the years he had managed to get Severus to fill him in on all the things that he needed to know, but never on anything regarding personal matters. Being brought back to life by the friend whom you forced to kill you was something completely outside his experience however and such a serious and dark ritual was not something to be simply accepted. Severus had offered and risked a lot for him and he already realised that this price was something that was to be bourn by Severus; he needed to be able to help the man.

Severus eventually spoke again, "The price for the ritual is set, a life for a life. The Goddess changed the specifics of what that meant though. She refused my life and demanded that I create a new life. That was her price."

Dumbledore ingested these words. His gaze settled on Remus' hand, still firmly clasped round that of the former Potions Master and realisation settled in. A smile broke across his face and spread till there was no more space for any more smile.

"A baby" he cooed, "How wonderful."

He waited for Severus' sceptical sneer, but it never came. Dumbledore was pleasantly surprised.

"I think a celebration is in order. Remus, there is a bottle of champagne in my desk. If you would be so kind."

Remus released his lover's hand and went to get the champagne.

"Thank you" Dumbledore offered his thanks softly and personally to Severus. "I never expected to return, never expected you to do something so rash and foolish. It would seem, however, that this works out wonderfully for everyone." He twinkled and placed his hand over his friend's once again, "Thank you!"

Severus opened his mouth to say something but couldn't think of anything appropriate. He had not planned this far ahead and was somewhat phased by the success of his plan, despite of and because of the alterations.

Remus popped the champagne and handed glasses to the other two.

"I don't think I should be drinking"

"Nonsense Severus," smiled Dumbledore as Severus placed a protective hand over his stomach. The movement was unconscious but it was extremely telling for the old man, "I promise you, one drink will not harm your baby."

Remus poured the champagne and Dumbledore raised his glass in a toast.

"To Hogwarts newest addition. May this miraculous child be as brave, as unique, as talented and as handsome it's parents."

Severus scowled at the word handsome; Remus chuckled and drowned it in the glass. Dumbledore just stood twinkling and gazing down on the new and unlikely family sitting before him. This was going to be interesting.

----------------------------------

The Daily Prophet changed it's stance towards Severus Snape drastically over the next few weeks. Details of the secret ritual gradually seeped out and naturally ended up covering the front pages. Severus suddenly found that the contemptuous glares disappeared and were replaced by an uncomfortable kind of awe.

The main article touted him as a true hero of the war. They no longer skated over his involvement in vanquishing Voldemort and instead screamed his accomplishments in a "Dragon font" across the headlines for issue after issue. Severus remained embarrassed, but he began to feel less ashamed and managed to regain his former dignified stance. The embarrassment he felt drenching his soul did not shift though.

The Daily Prophet dealt with the pregnancy in a more dignified manner than they usually managed for such titillating front page gossip, it was understood that this was the "Price" to pay for Dumbledore and they tried to allow Severus to bear it without too much sniggering. But cover it they did and that made Severus' interactions with others stressful and sparse.

Dumbledore, back in control of Hogwarts, wanted the school reopened as soon as possible and pulled out all the stops. He also fought tooth and nail to retain the services of his former Potions and DADA Professors. He had no problem getting the thumbs up from the Ministry of Magic; having resurrected Dumbledore, Severus was their new golden child. The two men themselves however were a different matter.

He apparated to Snape Manor regularly to argue with the couple. He managed to talk Remus round fairly quickly, but he wouldn't go without Severus and the pregnant Professor was not having any of it. Remus made it his personal mission to convince the man who was rapidly becoming his partner of the merits of Dumbledore's request. He needed to take things carefully with him though, not push too hard. He was still amazed that Severus hadn't made him leave yet. Little did he realise that that consideration was exactly what was keeping the other man open to him.

-------------------------------

Remus awoke to the sounds of retching.

He wandered through to the bathroom in his dressing gown, trying to calm his sleep rumpled hair. He gave up.

Kneeling down, he pulled his lover's hair back away from the toilet bowl.

"You know, if we were at Hogwarts, Poppy could probably help you with this."

Severus tried to growl but his body had other ideas and he vomited the last of his stomach contents into the bowl. He lay back against Remus, who sat quietly and held him. Severus sighed.

"Do you realise what kind of ridicule I will be in for if I go back to Hogwarts. I can almost hear them already. They won't let this one lie."

"I think you're wrong Sev." Remus said gently, stroking his lover's hair and holding him closer. "Have you seen the papers?"

Severus grunted.

"You know sometimes I think that you like your dark grizzled image a little too much. If you were that damn macho, you never would have agreed to this in the first place."

Remus cradled Severus' slightly swelled belly, he lifted up the light shirt covering it and stroked the bare swollen flesh. Severus turned his head to look at Remus but found his lips caught in a passionate kiss. As they broke the kiss they stayed wrapped in each other's arms on the bathroom floor. Neither of them dared to break a connection that they didn't expect to find.

"We'd share quarters?"

Remus started at the sudden question before a grin broke across his face. He took a risk.

"You think I want to get away from you? No such luck _Professor_ Snape, you're stuck with me."

They were quiet again for a moment. Severus realised how much this meant to his lover. His year at Hogwarts was one of the few times that Remus had truly felt that he belonged and was valued and he had been the one to destroy that for him. Could he deny him that feeling just because he felt embarrassed about being seen pregnant? He had overcome many things alone, for the greater good or for his own good. Remus had been so loving, so patient, so undemanding and so empathically understanding. He realised that he didn't want to disappoint him and more importantly that he wanted to make him happy. He also felt the need to atone for revealing Remus' secret. He could overcome his embarrassment for Remus' sake and he knew that he wouldn't have to do it alone. He had Dumbledore and more importantly he had Remus. His head was spinning a little with all the changes as he murmured "Alright then" into his lover's chest.


	7. Chapter 7

The students were back at Hogwarts. Many had to repeat the year that they missed during the war. They needed to get their NEWTS and OWLS and no amount of anti-Voldemort heroics could win them free qualifications. Many of the students were disgruntled to have to come back to the year (or school) that they thought that they had left behind but they all secretly felt comforted to be there, especially with Dumbledore back and twinkling all the over the place leaving the sticky scent of sugared lemon in his wake.

Snape was also, even more secretly, comforted to back. To have something so stable and recognisable in his life, after all the turmoil of the past year made his advancing pregnancy seem less confusing.

Poppy had insisted on seeing him as soon as he arrived. She had read all about his pregnancy in The Daily Prophet, but it didn't seem quite real until she saw the seven month pregnant Snape walk through the door. How on earth did the man still manage to glide?

He still growled and snorted and sneered, but all these expressions seemed to be softer now. More habit than genuine antipathy. He didn't argue with her at all when she asked him to get up on one of the beds so that she could examine him. He watched her intently as she performed various charms to check on the health of both baby and mother. Good Lord, dare she actually say that out loud?

"Do you know what will happen when it is time for the baby to be born?"

Severus sighed, "I have absolutely no idea Poppy. This was not the usual outcome of the ritual that I performed and I am afraid it didn't occur to me to ask at the time. There's no precedent for this."

Poppy chuckled, "Well that's not strictly true. There have been plenty of male pregnancies over the years."

She was amused to see Snape's eyebrows rise in surprise, did he think he was the first?

"They aren't often advertised, which you will probably sympathise with. They are usually deliberate though, so the outcome is known before the pregnancy begins. There are several charms and potions designed to allow male pregnancy. I would have thought that you would be familiar with the potions..."

"I have heard of some, their effectiveness is not something that I have personally researched though. It was not something that I considered relevant. Teaching the children how to do this would be foolish to say the least. Although inflicting morning sickness and back cramps onto the Dark Lord might have been interesting, perhaps you should have suggested it."

Poppy wondered if she was getting a glimpse of hitherto smothered Snape humour. She hoped so; he was going to need it over the next few weeks.

"Well," she continued, "most of these charms and potions incorporate a "final stage" during which the body changes to allow a normal birth. Assuming that this will go the same way, it should occur a few days before you go into labour."

Poppy braced herself for the indignant onslaught of Snape trying to deny that he would suddenly develop a vagina. She kept waiting but the Professor just waited calmly for her to continue. Well, she thought, miracles will never cease.

"The baby is perfectly healthy and I am pleased to see that you are looking after yourself. I had half expected to find you depressed and half starved." She may have imagined it but she thought she heard him laugh. She looked up to find him smiling, something she didn't remember ever seeing before. Alarming as it was initially, it made him look uncommonly handsome.

"Poppy, I am concerned about the student's reactions to me but I am not stupid. I agreed to this but ever since Dumbledore popped back into being, this has not been about the agreement. This is my child, fathered by a man that I..." he hesitated; she sensed a decision was being made, "that I love. We want this child, we love this child and I will not do anything to damage that." He looked amused by her evident surprise.

Poppy was flabbergasted, "Um, well, I can tell you the gender if you like?"

"No way!"

Professor Lupin strode into the room, straight up his partner and plonked himself down on the bed, immediately taking up the other man's hand in his.

"We want to be surprised, so don't tell us. Is the baby okay?"

"Your baby is perfectly healthy Professor" replied Poppy, regaining her professional manner as quickly as possible after such surprising reactions, "You are obviously looking after them well."

"Absolutely, nothing but the best for my family. That's why we came back Poppy, I knew no-one could take better care of them than you." He beamed at the mediwitch and chuckled as she blushed crimson.

"However," she added and both men's smiles faded, "I want Severus to take it easy for the rest of his pregnancy..."

"But the term is about to start..."

"Yes and I am not telling you that you can't teach. What I am telling you is not to do anything that you don't need to do. Look after yourself, eat well and regularly, rest whenever you have a chance to and ask for help when you need it. If you don't do these things then I will tell Albus to put you on leave and you will have the embarrassment of someone else taking your class. Have I made myself clear?"

"As crystal" responded Snape, with the first real edge that she had heard in his voice since he walked in.

"Good, then you are free to go then. I'll see you again in two weeks unless you need me sooner."

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They had all heard the rumours and read the newspapers. They had all had a giggle at the idea of a pregnant Professor Snape. They had all been a little thunderstruck by the idea of Snape as a hero and since he had brought Dumbledore back to life, they didn't have any choice but to forgive him for killing him in the first place.

Harry was kind of glad to not be the lone focus of heroic attention for once, but had to admit being vaguely surprised that it was Snape that had been handed the crown. At least, he thought, he hadn't had to end up pregnant to fulfil "his" destiny.

The fact that Remus was the father was the most confusing element of the whole thing. Had Snape tricked him into it or had he offered to father the child because he knew that it would bring Dumbledore back. God, couldn't he have gone to a sperm bank? Harry chuckled at the thought of Snape sticking a turkey baster full of cum up his arse but he took the thought too far and almost gagged on the gross out.

Ron finished his chess game, from the stormy look on the younger Gryffindor's face he must have won again. When would they learn to stop challenging him? Ron heard the chuckle and joined him by the fire.

"When did Potions become so damn funny?" he asked, checking the cover of Harry's book.

Harry smirked, "I was thinking about Snape, imagining him struggling with a turkey baster..."

"Ew," Ron cringed, "well, that's a ruddy sight more acceptable than free werewolf love." He sighed. "What do you think Lupin sees in him?"

Harry shrugged, "I guess he did it for Dumbledore."

"You are so mean." Hermione interrupted, "Maybe they really love each other." Both men landed her with incredulous looks.

"This is Snape we are talking about."


	8. Chapter 8

Getting back into the swing of lessons had been odd. There were no new pupils this year, so there had been no sorting ceremony and the teacher's thought it best to let them settle in without the usual pomp and ceremony. The eleven year olds who would have started this year had started at another school which had a greater capacity to take in extra students. Whether or not any of them would transfer next year would remain to be seen.

So, none of the seventh year students had seen Professor Snape before they walked into the Potions classroom. They couldn't see much for the moment though because his desk was no longer shoved into the corner and he was sitting behind it. Most of them thought that he was hiding; Hermione more kindly considered that he was probably concerned about their reactions. Dumbledore had been back for nearly seven months, so he was at least that far along – he must be huge.

"Take your seats quietly and quickly, we have a lot to cover." His usually watchful eyes barely glanced up from his papers. "Take out your textbooks and turn to section five. Read the essay on anti-depression potions. We will be concentrating on anti-depression potions for the next two lessons, this WILL be covered in the medical section of your Potions NEWT – so make sure you pay attention." He peered at Harry and Ron as he said this because Ron was trying to whisper to Harry already. "Mr. Weasley, would you care to share your knowledge with the rest of the class."

Ron started and quickly shook his head.

"No? Then kindly SHUT UP when I am talking." He really didn't have the energy to fight for their attention. Other students were whispering too, he didn't have to think hard to work out why.

"RIGHT" All eyes fixed on Snape instantly, the tone recognisable. He didn't explode though. He put his hands on the arms of his chair and made to stand up. "Let's get this over with shall we."

He smirked imperceptibly at the open mouths as he stood up and walked in front of the class, sweeping his cloak behind him so that they could all see exactly how large he now was. No point in delaying the inevitable. At least after this he would be able to shout at them unreservedly again.

Hermione smiled, Ron goggled, Harry raised an eyebrow and no-one giggled or whispered.

"I do not expect to hear you twittering amongst yourselves. Read the essay and I shall be back in a moment."

He waited until all heads bent towards the text books and then swept out as gracefully as he could manage, hoping that they didn't realise that he was rushing for the toilet. He would have to make sure he drank less before lessons; it wouldn't do to keep rushing out.

He stood outside the door for a moment when he returned to the classroom, to check whether they were doing as he had instructed. There was a little chatter, but not as much as he had expected. He prepared to sweep in and silence them when Hermione responded loudly to something.

"You know Goyle, even Draco wouldn't have let you say something like that – and if you think you can get away with it because he isn't then you are sorely mistaken. Professor Snape is your head of house and you should have more respect. Do you have any idea what he has been through? Do you have any idea what he did for us, for the cause, for DUMBLEDORE? You're a moron Goyle, and if you continue to talk like that then we'll assume that you really were on Voldemort's side. You may have gotten away with your involvement with Draco, but that is only because you are stupid – they can review your case again you know and I for one would be perfectly happy to give testimony against you. Why not try to be supportive of your head of house? You loathsome little worm."

Severus was astonished but couldn't hold back the smirk that broke across his face. He swept in.

"Mr. Goyle. As you are looking over to the other side of the classroom, I assume that you have finished reading the essay. Perhaps you could tell us the basics of an anti-depression potion?"

Goyle gulped at him like a nearly comatose fish. Hermione's hand was already waving in the air. Normally he would have ignored her but...

"Alright Miss Granger, go ahead."

She looked flummoxed for a moment, but quickly launched into an accurate and well formed analysis of the potion genre.

"Very well presented Miss Granger. 5 points to Gryffindor."

The whole class looked as though they had been hit by lightening. It was easier though than if he had given her the points for defending him with such compassion, that he would not have lived down. He was amused by this new form of shocking his students, he would have to be careful he didn't wear it out too soon though.

---------------------------------------------------------

"So how was your first day back?" Remus was leaning against the doorway of their quarters. Severus was relaxing in an armchair reading a book as he looked up and laughed.

"Your eyebrows are purple" he observed.

Remus waved a hand in jovial dismissal. "Oh, it's nothing. We tried duelling and Neville got distracted and sent a curse that he was practising off in my direction. I thought I might keep them purple."

Snape put his book on the table and reached for his wand,

"You can't remember how to remove it can you?"

Remus sighed and sat down, "No"

Severus flicked his wand at his lover with a chuckle, "Ostendum Neville"

Remus eyebrows turned back to their normal sandy colour and rose halfway up his forehead.

"Ostendum Neville?" he laughed, "What the hell is that?"

Severus sighed. "Well he messed up so often that it was easier to come up with a general reversal spell based on his magical resonance than to specifically reverse everything that he did. He seems to have learnt to control himself a little better, but I guess it's still useful. Don't tell anyone that I spent time creating a spell about Neville."

"Okay, but you have to come to dinner in the Great Hall."

Severus sighed even deeper and held out a hand for Remus to help him up. This would be fun, his scowl deepened to it's legendary put upon depth.

The Great Hall was filling rapidly as Remus and Severus made their way up to the Staff table. Dumbledore beamed at them both, the other staff were as wide eyed as the students had been. Severus had kept very much to himself since returning to school. He was still concerned about his appearance, but after today he felt a lot more confident about appearing in public. He was beginning to feel less embarrassed about his pregnancy and he met the eyes of all the staff as he approached the table. "Good evening Severus, Remus" Minerva nodded. Severus shocked everyone by responding pleasantly, "Good evening Minerva". He chuckled to himself; at least he had two camps to play this game in.

General chatter rose as the staff and students tucked into their meals. Severus sat back and took in the scene. Voldemort was gone, as was his dark mark. There would be no more calls, no more spying, no more danger. He could teach without feeling that it was a cover story. There would be no more missions. There was just here. Hogwarts and its ever changing residents, the staff – some of them friends, Remus and himself and their baby. He rested a hand absently on his stomach, the baby kicked and he cradled the familiar feeling with his hand to better feel it. He was most definitely home, it was a new feeling but one that was entirely welcome.

"Is it kicking Severus?"

Severus came back to reality and turned to Minerva.

"Uh, yes, it's quite active these days," he smiled at her and she smiled back at him and at the cradled bulge,

"May I?" she asked, her eyes darting towards his own hand.

He was more than surprised; it hadn't occurred to him that anyone would want to feel the baby kicking inside him. But he nodded and moved his hand away. Minerva placed her palm gently on her colleague's stomach and gasped as the baby kicked directly where she touched.

"Severus, that's wonderful. Does it move a lot?"

"Yes, most of the time really. I can tell when it's asleep anyway."

"Which is not when we are trying to sleep unfortunately," added Remus with a wry smile.

Poppy Pomfrey passed a plate of food down towards Severus, "Eat that – carbohydrate in the evening will help the baby to sleep when you do."

"Thank-you Poppy" both men intoned at exactly the same time, Remus laughed. Severus ate – a lot.

Dumbledore chuckled at all the whispers and furtive glances up to the top table.

"I think gentlemen that it might be time to say something publically. I hope you don't disapprove?"

Remus shrugged in a go ahead kind of way. Severus froze for a moment and then remembered how necessary it had seemed in the two potions classes that he had taken today. He nodded to Dumbledore's question and steeled himself for whatever response the collected students were going to have to the blunt confirmation of the Daily Prophet's claims and the general gossip.

Dumbledore stood up and held out his hands for silence, he got it immediately.

"Ladies and Gentlemen if I may have your attention." He twinkled at them all, making each and every one of them feel that he was speaking personally to them. "There has been a lot of speculation following certain articles published in the Daily Prophet recently." All eyes snapped to Snape, he remained rigid.

"As I am standing here addressing you, you can have no doubt about certain aspects of these articles. I was indeed restored from death. You may thank your Potions Professor for that, as I have already. I have no doubt that you have read about Professor Snape's involvement in the war against Voldemort – these tributes to your Professor's bravery were also well deserved."

Severus felt uncomfortable again and resisted the ridiculous urge to crawl under the table; he remained stiff and immobile except for accepting the hand that Remus offered him under the table, knowing how uncomfortable his lover would be right now.

"However," continued the headmaster, "I believe the tales that are most interesting you all right now are those about Professor Snape's pregnancy." He smiled warmly at them all, making them feel that their interest was perfectly understandable, which of course it was.

"Now, I do not wish to make Professor Snape any more uncomfortable than he may already feel. But I would like you all to stand (everyone rose), raise a glass (glasses were raised) and join me in congratulating Professor Snape and Professor Lupin on the impending birth of their child."

There was a huge chorus of "Congratulations" and "Snape and Lupin", shortly followed by a round of applause and the odd whoop from the Slytherin table. Severus gripped Remus' hand and gritted his teeth against the onslaught, not the one he had expected at all – but one he was emotionally unprepared for nonetheless.

Remus made their excuses after a polite amount of time and they left before Severus burst into tears or fits of rage. He expected the latter but thought the former might be a possibility too.


	9. Chapter 9

"Potter, do you intend to use this contraception potion on your blasted owl? Because that will be all it will be fit for if you add ...Arghh!"

Professor Snape collapsed to the floor mid-rant and wrapped his arms protectively round his stomach. He had been having cramps all morning and put it down to the anticipated false contractions that were supposed to start during the week before the birth. He had noticed that his body had changed that morning and had informed Poppy, who had estimated that he would go into labour in about 5 days time. As his water's broke and gushed across the classroom floor during 7th year potions, he realised that she was wrong. He was panting, his students were all staring at him, but there was nothing that he could do about that. The baby was coming and if the pain was anything to go by, it was coming fast.

He tried to think. Remus. Poppy. Help. In class. Oh God this hurts. He cried out again. Someone sensible.

"Hermi –arrrrrrrrgh –ne" he looked straight at her but could say no more. Gratifyingly Hermione leapt into action.

"It's alright Professor. Don't worry." She turned to her friends, "Harry – get Remus" she mouthed NOW at him. "Ron – get Madame Pomfrey, be quick. Pansy – go and tell the headmaster."

Pansy looked blank, "Tell him what?"

Hermione took a deep breath. Severus gripped onto a table and heaved himself upright.

"TELL HIM (breath) that I am in LABOUR you stupid girl"

Hermione tried to offer physical support but it just wasn't possible. Thankfully Remus came skidding into the classroom and grabbed Severus, holding him up and helping him move to the door. Harry hesitated and then took his Professor's other arm – no better time to make peace he supposed. They were nearly to the infirmary when Ron came rushing up with Madame Pomfrey. They moved as quickly as Severus was capable of.

Once inside Poppy Pomfrey took the couple into a private room and shooed the students away.

"There's nothing you can do for him now, so get out and let me do my job." They shuffled slowly away but as the mediwitch rushed straight into the private room, none of them actually left. Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall quickly joined them. They tried to usher them out, but they didn't move until Dumbledore promised to let them know as soon as there was anything to know, after all – it could take hours yet.

----------------------------------------------------

Remus and Poppy helped Severus into a comfortable gown – Remus had dyed a hospital gown black especially for the occasion, he thought that it might make all the difference. Judging by the furious scowl that met Poppy's faded blue offering, he had judged right. Thank the Gods he had thought ahead and kept a bag in the DADA classroom.

Poppy checked out her patient.

"You are fully dilated and the head is fully engaged. You should feel the need to push any moment..."

"Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" Severus Snape gritted his teeth and pushed.

An hour later he was still pushing. How long could this go on? Sweat coated his whole body. It felt surreal but he could think about nothing else. He was focused so intensely on what was happening to his body. He had no more energy left; it felt as though he was completely used up. He had never felt more useless in his life. Nothing seemed to exist outside each current moment. He couldn't have anymore anti-pain charms because Poppy said that he needed to feel what was happening so that he could push the baby out. But he couldn't push it out; all he could do was feel. He felt full, packed unnaturally and trapped in a nightmare that didn't seem to be ending. Did this baby not want to come out?

"I I I can't. Not any more."

Remus was sitting on the bed with him. One hand being crushed and the other kept trying to move around Severus' shoulder before it was pushed off again.

"Don't... touch... me." Remus looked hurt. "Didn't... mean... oh... god...just...can't... not touch...too... much... arrrghhhh" he pushed again with strength that didn't seem to be in him but came out anyway.

Poppy smiled up at the frustrated man, "The head is crowning. Remus, do you want to see your baby being born?"

Remus moved to the other end of Severus without removing his hand from Severus' grip.

Dumbledore chose that moment to pop his head round to see how things were going.

"Is everything...oh my..."

Severus screamed as he bore down as hard as he could. Then new cries filled the air – those of...

"A little girl!" announced Poppy cheerfully. She passed the baby straight into the waiting arms her mother. "Congratulations gentlemen."

Dumbledore stood just inside the door completely awed, "Oh my" he repeated.

Remus finally got his arm around his partner's shoulders and cradled the other around the naked bundle in Severus arms. Severus gazed in wonder at his daughter and felt the earth shift. He glanced up at Remus and they shared a kind of smile that they had never shared before. This was what complete harmony felt like, perfection shared.

It was punctured by the announcement that the afterbirth still had to be delivered, eliciting a groan from the tired man on the bed. Dumbledore stepped forward, "Perhaps I could help" he twinkled, and took the baby – briefly – from her parents.

Delivering the placenta didn't even register with Severus, he pushed and he felt the pain but he didn't care. His sight fixed firmly on the tiny red miracle lying in his friend's arms. As soon as the placenta was out Dumbledore passed the little girl back to her mother, who didn't notice as cleansing charms were cast nor as the blankets were tucked up around him, covering his previous nakedness.

He curled up in the bed cradling his daughter and as Remus leaned in to gaze at the pair, he found himself being pulled into the most amazing kiss. He was no longer simply a lover to Severus, he was his partner and their daughter's father and that made a whole world of difference. This was not something that Remus had trouble understanding, he had felt life shift noticeably too and his admiration and adoration of Severus Snape doubled, tripled, doubled again and kept on rising. He had a daughter, they had a daughter. My God, could life get anymore perfect than this? He wrapped himself around his family, kissed his daughter on the head and pressed his forehead against that of his daughter's mother and stayed like that till they all fell asleep together.

Poppy and Albus snuck quietly out of the room and left the tired new family to rest.


	10. Chapter 10

Word spread quickly around the school, Professor Dumbledore made sure of that.

Professor Snape had had a daughter.

The newest Slytherin.

The newest Gryffindor, her father's a Gryffindor.

Six pounds and seven ounces.

Oh my, she must be so tiny.

Do you think she has his nose?

That would be so cruel.

She didn't get the nose.

You grow into a nose.

Both doing well.

She has black hair.

Is she a werewolf?

You can't be born a werewolf.

In the medical wing Severus was finding out that he had to (and could) breastfeed. He was horrified, until the baby latched on. At least it wouldn't be too visible.

Nobody talked about anything else that night and in the morning lessons were cancelled in honour of "Hogwarts newest addition", as Dumbledore kept repeating.

Poppy Pomfrey wasn't sure whether or not she should keep Professor Snape in, but she could find no reason why he couldn't leave. He was healthy. The baby was healthy. He wanted, no demanded, to leave and Remus was with them, fussing appropriately over them both. She let them leave.

"Shall we go back to our quarters?" Remus asked.

Severus was soothing the baby. They couldn't keep calling her "the baby".

"What are we going to call her? I can't remember any of the names we came up with, can you?"

Severus stopped walking and looked at Remus, then at their daughter.

"Top of the list for girls were Kali, Kiera, Jetta, Keena and Leoma."

Remus thought for a moment, "Leoma is nice, but..."

Severus smiled, "it doesn't quite seem right?"

Remus nodded.

"How about Mirari? It means Miracle"

Remus smiled and nodded, "Mirari" he tested the sound. Taking his daughter in his arms he asked her, "Are you Mirari? I think your mother is right. Mirari it is!" Looking hesitantly at his partner he asked, "Snape or Lupin?"

"I don't know. I hadn't really thought about that. We are both the last of our families." He stopped talking to think.

"How about both? Snape-Lupin or Lupin-Snape?"

"Snape-Lupin sounds a bit better."

"For all of us?" he passed Mirari back to Severus as he asked this. He wanted Severus to feel the slight weight of her in his arms as he realised what Remus was asking him.

"All of us? What do you mean? Change our names?"

Remus sighed. "Yes, but not simply change them. Severus, I am asking you to marry me. I could get down on one knee..."

"No."

"No?"

"I mean Yes, but don't. Get down on one knee, I mean. I don't think I could cope with that."

Remus chuckled. "But Yes to marrying me?"

"Yes"

In the middle of the school corridor they kissed, not the heated passionate kisses they shared in private but a gentle kiss to seal the promise. There was a wolf whistle from somewhere above them but they ignored it and Severus repeated his "Yes" with more appropriate passion.

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The weather had been so nice that when lessons were declared cancelled for the day, everyone fled outside. Games were being played, children running around noisily. A Quidditch practice had just ended and the Gryffindor team was vacating the pitch for the Ravenclaws. The staff were having a picnic on the lawns. Hagrid had baked a huge cake with the words "Welcome Baby" on it and it seemed to be a delightful summer day.

Hagrid jumped up and started waving wildly. He was too overcome with excitement to consider that he might attract more attention than would be wanted.

"Perfessors! Over here Perfessors!"

Some people turned at the sound of Hagrid's booming voice, but they soon realised who he was calling to. Word began to spread quickly. As Remus and Severus reached the staff picnic, there was a swelling throng of children making their way as close as they dared to the staff and more specifically to Severus.

Severus tried to swirl round on them, but he could manage neither the swirl nor the glare. He managed to frighten a few returning first years with an odd combination of forced grimace and not quite suppressed smile, at which they rapidly backed off before Professor Dumbledore came to the rescue and guided the two men towards the staff picnic.

A Slytherin fifth year who had always been a favourite of Snape's got up the courage to address him. She did it loudly for the benefit of the others, a little more loudly than she had intended but it got his attention.

"PLEASE SIR? WE WERE WONDERING SIR, WHAT YOU HAD CALLED YOU DAUGHTER SIR?" She immediately clapped a hand over her mouth as she realised that she had shouted at her Head of House from only a couple of metres away.

Professor Snape looked disapproving but he nodded to Professor Lupin, who held out his hands to indicate quiet.

"Okay, as you can imagine Professor Snape has had a very difficult night. He needs things to be quiet and calm and preferably not to have hundreds of students crowding around staring." He smiled at them to let them know that no-one was cross and none of them were in trouble. Especially since he could feel Snape scowling behind him. "Now we can't exactly hold up a newborn baby for you all to see her, but if we tell you what her name is will you leave us alone for a bit?

There was a disjointed chorus of agreement.

"OK then. Her name is Mirari Leoma Snape-Lupin. Mirari means miracle and Leoma means brave."

To make sure that the students kept their promise to back off, Professor McGonagall moved over and shooed them all away. They went back to their games hesitantly and full of chatter.

Hagrid produced a large cushion and placed in on the large rug next to himself, making quite clear that it was for Severus. Remus helped Severus to sit down, still a very delicate procedure.

"Oh Perfessor, she's bootiful. She's a proper miracle she is."

"May I hold Mirari? When I held her briefly last night, she didn't have a name; it seems that it makes something of a difference." Dumbledore beamed and Severus let the old man take her. There was much cooing and fussing from most of the staff.

Professor Trelawney began to sway, her eyes glazed over and before anyone could tell whether it was theatrics or not Severus and Remus had both flicked their wands at her and sent her into a double dose of sleep. There would be none of that. The assembled staff roared with laughter and Professor Sprout tactfully levitated her onto a bench and covered her with a blanket.

Colin Creevey was skulking around off to the side of the picnic area. Snape fixed him with a full on withering glare.

"You had better not have your camera with you Creevey."

The boy turned pale and began to stammer. Hermione leapt up from her seat and pulled him away, he started jabbering something to her, and to Harry who was handing her a butterbeer. The two of them looked at each other and turned, moving towards the staff picnic.

"Sorry Sirs" began Hermione, "Colin came to collect a fang ... er frisbee that flew this away and got too scared to come any closer." Harry had found the frisbee and lobbed it back to Creevey, who took off at lightening speed.

"Shame he can't do that on a broomstick" observed Harry.

Lupin jumped up and gestured to the rug, "Why don't you come and join us for a moment? I wanted to have a word with you actually Harry."

The staff looked surprised but moved to give the seventh years room. Hermione shuffled a bit, not wanting to just run off but not having been specifically invited.

"Sit down Miss Granger and stop hopping about like a piskie; it's quite tiring to watch." She immediately obeyed her Potions Professor while trying not to look too over-awed by the baby which Dumbledore was returning to his arms.

"Well," began Lupin, "it's like this. Mirari needs Godparents."

Snape's eyebrows rose. He hadn't thought about Godparents. It seemed to be important to Remus though. At least it wouldn't be Sirius, he thought, and then mentally slapped himself for it. Albus would make a good Godfather.

"I would like you to be a Godfather Harry." said Remus, ignoring Harry's surprise, "We are the closest that either of us can really claim to family. You are capable of protecting and defending Mirari and I would trust you to help raise her well if anything should ever happen to us. "

Harry looked flabbergasted, Snape had frozen. Remus noticed Snape's expression.

"Do you mind? I mean if you do then..."

"I don't know. I was thinking of Albus, myself." He wasn't sure how to go on.

Albus Dumbledore was beaming, "Well there is a simple solution. The fashion of recent times has been to name one Godparent, but legally you can name three. Perhaps Harry and I could share the honour?"

Remus caught Severus' gaze with pleading eyes. He knew Severus had relented about Harry before he even said anything.

"Very well. If they will accept."

Albus and Harry broke wide smiles at each other and enthused so much that there could be no doubt about their agreement.

"Perhaps we should go for all three." suggested Remus cheerfully.

"Well then you will need a Godmother" Dumbledore informed them, "you can have either two Godfathers and One Godmother or vice versa and as Harry and I are most definitely in the Godfather bracket, I would suggest a lady."

"Hmm." Remus looked deep in thought.

"Hermione"

Everyone stared at Severus Snape in outright shock, not least of all Hermione herself.

Severus tried to explain himself. Hermione had caught the look he shared with her though and knew why this was happening. So she smiled as he explained, "She can teach her how to care for others regardless of their behaviour. She can teach her how to deal with rude and wilful young men. She can teach her how to play by the rules whilst her Godfathers lead her astray." Dumbledore practically guffawed at this, "She can help to give her a love of knowledge and most importantly she can actually make a decent potion." Remus joined in the laughter, "She is a brave, level headed, intelligent young woman who knows right from wrong. I think they are adequate reasons."

"I would also be most honoured," Hermione answered. She didn't manage to say anymore, even though she would have liked to, she was already close to tears.

"I've just asked Severus to marry me and he said yes."

Severus leant down to Mirari, not because she needed him but because that way his hair would hang over his face and Remus wouldn't see how much that outburst had mortified him.

Amidst Dumbledore's joyous cooing and the heightening chatter that followed, Severus leant back on Hagrid's giant cushion and he and Mirari fell asleep in the middle of it all. No-one had the heart to wake them.

possibly the end


	11. Chapter 11

Mirari's third birthday party was a huge affair. They had never thrown a party for her before. Severus had scowled and said there was no point because she was too little to understand, but both birthdays had turned into impromptu parties anyway as dozens of people turned up armed with presents and best wishes.

This year, Mirari had asked for a party.

When Severus refused to move out of the dungeons, Remus had insisted that they expand their living space and asked for permission to build a huge conservatory style extension. That way Severus got his darkness and the safety of the dungeon walls to brew certain potions behind and he also ensured that the whole family would get sunlight and breathing space.

Severus had taken a while to get accustomed to the extension but as Mirari loved playing there, he spent more and more time in that part of their quarters. He and Remus had decorated the largest room with fairy lights that danced and sprinkled golden dust when they moved. There were pink streamers everywhere. Everyone was so used to Mirari's fascination with pink that Dumbledore suggested that he might have to start a new school house when she started school.

They French doors were flung open and the party spilled out into Hogwarts grounds. Luckily, Severus had extended the lights outside too, much to Remus' amusement.

Molly Weasley had baked a huge cake in the shape of a pink dragon breathing flowers, and had knitted Mirari a pink jumper with her name on it. Remus shielded her from Severus' appalled facial expression, thankfully Mirari loved it. Harry and Ginny were now married, as were Ron and Hermione. So Mirari had become very accustomed to the "Weasley Way" as Severus called it. It was an odd party for a three year old, especially since there were no other children there but these were the people Mirari loved and she couldn't have been happier. Dumbledore wore pink robes especially for the party. Severus wondered if the man had no shame, but secretly smiled about it as he went to fetch more punch. Hagrid gave a small parcel that moved, which Severus intercepted with great alarm.

"It's okay Perfessor, it's nothing dangerous, I promise ye"

Remus sat Mirari on his knee and Severus kept his wand to hand as their daughter opened the extremely mobile gift. Inside was something that looked vaguely like a cross between a rabbit and cat, except that it was bright pink and vibrated when it purred. Mirari immediately began giggling her head off.

Hermione looked furious, "Hagrid, you wrapped the poor thing in paper!"

Hagrid looked confused, "Yeah, well, it's 'er present, int it?"

Ron hushed her as Mirari started chasing the creature around.

"A friend of mine bin sperimenting and he came out with this. He int got a name for it or nothing. I thought Mirari could choose what to call the breed."

Mirari looked up at Hagrid with her wide black eyes,

"It's squiggly."

"Squiggly." repeated Hagrid seriously, accepting this as the name and committing it to memory.

"I call her pink" There was a little debate over the name, but Mirari insisted.

Harry and Ginny had brought a fluffy Mirari sized chair that warmed up if she fell asleep on it and a lip balm made by Fred and George which would make her hair go pink. Remus moved her quickly on to the next present and put the lip balm out of reach. Severus could cope with pink hair on another day but not today. Ron and Hermione had bought her a fairy costume with wings that made her hover just a tiny bit, her toes still touched the floor but if she pulled her legs up she could feel like she was flying, she put it on straight away. Dumbledore gave her various kinds of sweets and a cuddly toy snake that could change colour.

All the staff gave her gifts, even Filch and the castle ghosts did a special dance for her. Mirari was a much loved little girl. She brought joy to everyone's lives with her giggling and nature enthusiasm for everything. She had her moody moments, but she even managed to make scowling look cute.

Remus watched his friends and colleagues entertaining his daughter and fussing over her as she showed off her presents for the hundredth time. It took a moment to realise that Severus was missing.

He found him sitting under a tree a short way away, fondly watching his daughter enjoying her birthday party. There was something else in that look though, something he couldn't put his finger on.

He handed Severus a glass of wine (Severus didn't do punch) and sat next to him, taking his hand.

"Is everything okay?"

Severus didn't answer immediately and Remus knew that something was going on.

"What is it Sev?"

Severus looked round. Remus hardly ever called him Sev. It was an endearment he used when he was trying to gently probe.

"I was thinking about Mirari and how much she has changed everything. How much I love her. How creating her, having her and being with her every day has brought us closer and closer and how... how happy I am."

Remus smiled in relief, "Well, that's good isn't it?"

"And then there's the "Weasley Way"."

"Pardon? What do you mean?"

Severus took a deep breath. "How would you feel about having another child?"

Remus blinked and said nothing. He was caught completely by surprise.

Severus closed his eyes and waited while Remus thought. He heard him gulp and assumed the question was not welcome. He rose to his feet and couldn't stop the sad look that swept across his face. Remus saw it and rushed to say something. God, what did he say? It wasn't reluctance that was silencing him, it was complete and utter shock. He had never allowed himself to entertain the thought, merely glad that Severus had accepted Mirari so completely.

"Shock" he mumbled, grabbing Severus hand and standing himself. He stopped his husband from moving away, catching his shoulder and turning him back.

"Severus, you shocked me. I wasn't expecting..." he shook his head in confusion, "just surprised ...I mean... where did that come from?"

Severus turned Remus round to look at their daughter and they stood there for a moment watching as she flew in her fairy costume chasing the Squiggly round the tree and squealing.

Remus caught Severus' face in his hands and kissed him furiously, as though trying to memorise his taste and merge their faces together at the same time. He literally took Severus' breath away.

"Do you mean it? I mean, have you thought this through? You really want this?"

Severus just nodded, Remus could see in his eyes that he did. He broke out the beaming grin and wrapped his arms round the other man's waist, pulling them tight together.

"Is it possible? I mean, we can't go around resurrecting the dead every time we want to have a child."

Severus actually laughed. "There are potions that we can use, ones that work in the same way as Aradia's changes."

"How long do they take to make?"

"About two hours. I could start when we put Mirari to bed and it would be ready by the time we retire ... or I could do it another day." He didn't want to push his luck too much.

"No, let's do it tonight. After the party I'll get Mirari ready for bed and you can make a start."

They broke away from each other as Mirari sped across the lawn towards them screaming "Mama, catch me". Severus caught her and swung her above his head, helping her to "fly" back towards the party.

Molly, Arthur, Harry, Ginny, Hermione and Ron stayed behind after the party to help the two men clean up. It didn't take long; the two older couples were used to clearing up after children and had it sorted quickly. They all said their goodnights and Molly did something she had never done before. She stepped up to Severus Snape and hugged him. He froze for a moment and then tried to return the hug; Molly leant in and whispered "Good luck" in his ear. Snape fixed her with a surprised look as she pulled away but she just smirked at him and said "Motherhood dear, gives you all kinds of special powers. You must have realised," and with that the Snape-Lupins had their quarters back to themselves.

Remus scooped a sleeping Mirari out of her fluffy new chair and carried her and her Squiggly to bed. Severus swept into his private potions room.


	12. Chapter 12

Remus was reading in bed when Severus came into the bedroom around midnight. He noticed the vial of bright pink liquid immediately.

"It worked then. Pink?"

"All maternity potions are pink unfortunately."

Remus chuckled. "Are you going to drink it then, or do I have to rub it on you or something?"

"I drink it. Are you truly in agreement? You aren't just humouring me?" Severus asked, perching on the bed. Remus reached over and pulled the stopper out of the bottle.

"I was going to ask you that question, but it looks like we are all decided. Drink up." Severus lifted the bottle to his mouth, hesitated for a moment and then downed it in one. He placed the empty vial on a bedside table and carefully removed his robes and hung them in the wardrobe. Remus watched every move as the naked man crossed the bedroom, lifting the covers he immediately slipped his arms around his husband as he slid under the covers.

Remus moved one leg over Severus' and kissed his neck. Severus bent his head and caught his mouth, sucking Remus' lip in and then teasing his tongue with his own. Severus' hands caressed his back as Remus' slid under his lover's tight arse. They stroked and caressed each other for a while before their hands began to wander to more erogenous zones.

They had tried switching positions early in their relationship, but Severus had found much to his surprise that he much preferred to take the more receptive role in bed – which suited Remus perfectly. Severus' preference was not one of submission, but of pure pleasure. Much as he enjoyed Remus' ministrations, he now completely understood why women thought they had the better deal; slower, longer and more frequent orgasms that didn't have a finite conclusion.

Outside their quarters, Albus Dumbledore had slipped back down to retrieve the cloak he had left behind. He raised a hand to knock, knowing that both men stayed up late but as they had forgotten to raise silencing charms he thought better of it and headed back upstairs to the sound of his staid Potions Master screaming the name of the DADA master. As he got the dungeon steps he was very glad that they had refused quarters in the main castle, "Oooooooooooh Goooooooooooooood, Aaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh" was undoubtedly not something to share with the students, especially not from Professor Snape. He raised a silencing charm for them.

------------------------------

They woke late. Remus made it to breakfast on time but after settling Mirari with her nanny, Severus ended up being late. Albus twinkled at him as he swept in mid-breakfast. Good God, did everyone know? Dumbledore actually had no idea that they were trying for another baby; love just increased his twinkle quota by about a hundred percent.

There had been no time to try a charm and he had Potions all morning. He got a short break before lunch and he took the opportunity to cast the charm. No effect, he cast it again to be sure but came back with the same results. He wasn't pregnant.

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	13. Chapter 13

Over the next three months Severus cast about a hundred pregnancy testing charms, tried different charms, different times of day. Tried taking stronger potions and at different intervals and times of day. He still wasn't pregnant. He began to get more irritable and snapped at the students more. Dumbledore came to see him in the Potions classroom during a free period.

"Is everything alright Severus? You don't seem to be yourself at the moment or rather you seem to be your old self. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"No. Thank-you headmaster but I'm fine."

"Are you and Remus having troubles?"

"Not exactly"

Dumbledore sat down and waited. Severus sighed. He flicked his wand at the door to raise the wards and silencing charms. Dumbledore waited, patiently concerned.

"We are trying for another baby but it isn't happening."

Albus blinked rapidly, digesting the unexpected information.

"Goodness me, I would never have guessed. Severus, you never cease to surprise me."

"I have used every potion I know of but it just doesn't seem to be happening."

"Have you tried taking fertility potions as well? Both of you I mean."

Severus shook his head. "No, it didn't occur to me. I mean, we had no trouble last time."

"Last time you were aided by a powerful deity. Her power however is not still in abeyance, so maybe you could help things along a little. It often takes people a long time to conceive a child, it isn't unusual."

"Just frustrating" complained the Potions Master.

Dumbledore smiled, "I must admit that I never expected to find you impatient to become pregnant Severus, peacetime certainly suits you." He knew he was goading the other man a little, but he felt that he could stand it and hoped that it might help to temper his impatience a little. Albus briefly entertained the unbidden image of "the old Severus" trying to explain his swollen belly to his old master. Goodness me; Voldemort would be appalled. He smiled more broadly, just for himself.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

After eight months of trying Severus watched as the blue glow spread across his stomach, confirming his pregnancy. He sighed with relief. He wanted to rush and tell Remus, but the other man was in the middle of fourth year DADA, so that was impossible. He contented himself with stroking his stomach. He knew what he was in for and he couldn't say he was looking forward to it all, but: to feel a child moving inside him again, to feel the swell of his belly full of child, to hold his newborn in his arms again. It would definitely be worth it.

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Severus and Remus decided not tell anyone about the pregnancy for the time being. It was usual to wait until the end of the first trimester before spreading the news, just in case anything went wrong early on. They didn't want to risk Mirari knowing before they were sure that everything was going to be alright. When Severus had been pregnant with Mirari, they had the assurance of a Goddess that the pregnancy would be safe. This time they didn't and the worry was overwhelming at times.

Severus consciously tried to avoid resting his hand on his stomach and Remus tried to avoid looking concerned or nagging him about food and the like. What they didn't consider was the fact that they had both (especially Severus) been rather wound up and tetchy whilst they were trying for the baby; their suddenly calm and perfectly normal behaviour was something of a red flag in itself.

Rolanda Hooch had begun running a book on the cause of the shift and she was offering odds and taking bets on a variety of causes. Sex potions were running favourite at 2:1, Sex toys were at 5:1, Minerva bet that they had been dealing with some frustrating behaviour from Mirari and that it had resolved itself – Rolanda snorted, asked her if she wanted to place a sexually oriented bet and then gave her 50:1 odds. Dumbledore quickly discovered the sordid betting scheme and took it as confirmation of his suspicions. He was seen smiling and humming a lot more than usual, which led Pomona Sprout to place a 150:1 bet that Albus had joined the Snape-Lupins in their bedroom antics.

--------------------------------------------------

By the time Mirari's birthday came around again, Severus was four months pregnant. He and Remus had told Mirari about the baby over a month ago, but they hadn't told anyone else yet. Mirari had been incredibly excited about the prospect of a little brother or sister but she wanted to be the one to tell people and to decide when to do it.

Severus was not opposed to delaying the inevitable and Remus was amused by the whole thing and wanted to see what she did. In the end they agreed to let her be the one to tell everyone, but Severus would have to tell Poppy so that she could make sure that the baby was alright. Mirari very seriously made the concession.

Poppy had been surprised and amused but told him that she didn't really need to see him until he was about four months along and set an appointment for the day of the Hogwarts Summer Fun day.

The Summer Fun day coincided almost exactly with Mirari's birthday, not accidentally either. The day off lessons that Dumbledore had declared on the day after Mirari's birthday had proved such a joyous release for staff and students alike that the Headmaster had declared it an annual in-school holiday.

It would be the easiest "working" day around the four month mark to have the appointment. The days preceding it would be spent preparing for Mirari's birthday party which would take a lot more preparation. Mirari was at Hogsmeade nursery school now and she had a lot of friends.

So it was understandable that Severus nearly forgot the appointment as he tried to get a lie in the next morning. His morning sickness had other ideas though and the wave of nausea swept him out of bed and had him on his knees again.

Remus left Mirari to pour syrup on her own pancakes and rushed to help his husband. He carefully held his hair back for him and held him after the bout had ended; it brought back memories of when they were expecting Mirari.

"Just as well you're seeing Poppy today, she can probably do something about that."

Severus groaned and Remus helped him to his feet and went off to get him some breakfast. Severus slumped against the table and nursed a cold glass of pumpkin juice against his head.

When he looked up he found his daughter staring at him.

"I am alright Mirari. It is normal to feel sick when you are having a baby; it is the body's way of telling you that it is doing good things for the baby."

He was startled when she turned very serious.

"Mama, I am not going to be able to go to see Madame Pomfrey with you. I have a very important job to do today."

Remus wandered through from the kitchen to hear more clearly.

"It's alright. I am going to go on my own so that Daddy can take you to the Fun day. I will not be long."

"I think Daddy should go with you. Hermyknee and Ron will look after me. Today is the special day."

Remus and Severus looked at each other questioningly but it was clear that neither of them knew what was going on.

Remus cleared the laughter out of his throat with a light cough.

"Special day?"

"To tell everyone about the baby."

Severus choked on his juice and Remus grabbed their daughter and hugged her furiously. By the time Severus had recovered, Remus was chasing Mirari around outside and she was squealing with glee.

Mirari had actually managed to owl her Godmother without her parents knowing. So, Hermione and Ron knocked on the door just in time to take her off their hands.


	14. Chapter 14

A/N I am breaking two of my unwritten rules here. I don't do A/Ns and I rectify mistakes. I feel a bit stupid for writing this chapter, but it is how it is supposed to be. This is an Mpreg story and people on the various posting sites have wanted it to carry on, so I took up the "difficult pregnancy" challenge and did this. I am sorry. I did go back and try to find a way to continue the story without doing this, but it isn't a complex plot so... I hope it doesn't mess the whole thing up. If you don't like it, assume the story ended with the "it might end here" tag and forget this frivolity. Akinaria xx

The Fun day was proving the same easy going fun that it was every year. The students took care of themselves and behaved well enough for no-one to really worry. A gaggle of Gryffindor girls came and "borrowed" Mirari almost immediately and to her sheer delight starting practicing all the girly charms that they had managed to learn on her. None of them were stupid enough to try anything that they were unsure about, they weren't _that_ brave.

They weren't that far away from the staff picnic and both her Godfathers were keeping a close eye on the hairstyling and dress-altering charms that they were using on the delighted little girl.

Rolanda was touting for bets from their visitors.

"Come on Ron, I know I can trust you to have a little flutter."

Hermione was scandalised when her former Professor explained what it was all about.

"They were probably having problems and then just sorted them out. To be honest I think that Minerva's suggestion is by far the most sensible. Although I am surprised that you placed a bet at all Minerva."

Minerva shrugged and concentrated on cutting cakes for a few minutes.

Ron was reading through the bets and odds in Rolanda's little notebook and was laughing his head off.

"Hey Harry. What do ya reckon – Snape's relaxed again because his potions have gone erotic or because Remus brought home some wicked wolfy sex toys." He guffawed and comically stroked the pointy little beard he was growing as though seriously considering which option was the more likely. Hermione scowled at him.

"Oh, you don't have to pick one of those Ron. I'll give you odds on your own suggestion if you like." Rolanda waggled her eyebrows at her most likely conspirator and Ron beamed like the time he'd slipped a tonne tongue toffee into Millicent Bulstrode's pocket. He put down the notebook and stroked his beard some more before breaking into a wicked grin.

"Right. What odds will you give me on this? Snape's tested some new poisonous potion on one of Hagrid's creatures and he's mucked up the antidote. That led to him and Remus getting all huffy and antsy. Rather than admit it to Hagrid, they've raised it from the dead and Snape's pregnant again."

Ron looked rather pleased with himself as the faculty erupted into laughter at his suggestion.

"Will you take 200:1?"

"Too ruddy right I'll take it. I'll put 2 galleons on that."

"Ron!" Hermione chastised.

"Oh come on love, it's just for a laugh."

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Remus watched avidly as Poppy cast charms over Severus' swollen belly. Like this, he wondered how no-one had noticed that his husband was pregnant. His skin looked healthier and he definitely had that pregnant glow about him. He was a little larger than he had been by this stage last time, apparently that was normal because his skin and muscles were less taut after the last pregnancy.

Poppy looked up from her charms.

"Well, you are keeping yourself healthy again, I am glad to see that. I'm going to check on the baby now and make sure that everything is alright in there." She smiled up at them and Remus took hold of his husband's hand while she cast new charms. She looked a little concerned and recast two of them again.

Severus tightened his grip on the hand; Remus squeezed reassuringly and hoped that it was justified.

"Is there a problem?" He asked.

Poppy's eyebrows knotted as she frowned at her results and checked again.

"Not a problem exactly, no."

Severus' grip relaxed a little.

"Something unexpected though."

It tightened again.

"What did use to enable you to become pregnant Severus?"

"A maternity potion and then later we both took fertility potions because nothing was happening."

"Which maternity potion and which fertility potion?"

"Gravidas and Infantia Magis "

"Ah!"

"Ah?"

"Severus, Infantia Magis increases the chances of multiple births by up to 60."

She let this information sink in for a moment. When Severus went pale and Remus jaw dropped open, she continued.

"I am surprised that you didn't research it a little more before using it." She paused a moment to adopt a calm even tone that she hoped would allay any panic. "Severus, you are expecting triplets. All three of them are healthy and growing well."

She noticed that Severus was now crushing his husband's hand but decided that she had better get it all out now before he went into shock.

"This pregnancy will be rather different to your first. You are going to get a lot larger a lot quicker. I would guess that by the time you are six months pregnant you will be about the size you were when you delivered Mirari. After that point, I am afraid that you will have to cut down your work significantly and gradually reduce it to nothing. There is a possibility with triplets, that you may be confined to bed towards the end of the pregnancy to give them longer to develop inside you. On the plus side, triplets always come early. Obviously you will have to give birth to three babies successively, but at least it will only be one labour. All of the symptoms of pregnancy will be more pronounced; nausea, back pain, cramps. You will have three babies pressing down on your bladder, so you will need the bathroom even more frequently than last time. I do not want to frighten you Severus. You are not in any danger. Triplets are uncommon but not rare, so I don't foresee much greater risk to you or the babies. It will be more uncomfortable though and you will have to follow my advice and when the time comes, you WILL have to stop working."

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Mirari was growing a little tired of the makeover game and she had told the Gryffindor girls that she wanted to keep the lavender princess hair and dress and ran off to join the picnic. She had just polished off one of Hagrid's rock cakes (which had become palatable since Mirari innocently accused him of giving her real rocks) when she noticed her parents coming round the side of the building.

"I have a secret to tell you all," she announced in what she hoped was an important grown up voice.

Hermione wiped her face with a serviette.

"Should you tell us, if it's a secret? Secrets are to keep."

"This one is to tell. That's my job."

She had everyone's attention.

"Has it got anything do with you Mother and Hagrid's pets?" Ron chortled at his own wit again.

"Mama – yes. Hagrid – no. Mama is having another baby. It's in his tummy. I am going to be a big sister. Mama and Daddy said that I could tell you all." She looked immensely proud of herself and stuffed another cake in her mouth.

Everyone was stunned into silence. Dumbledore winked at Mirari and she chuckled. Ron squawked and held out his hand to Rolanda, who smacked it away. Minerva almost jumped as she saw the two men heading towards the picnic; they were talking animatedly and looked painfully serious. Remus slapped on some forced joviality as they came within earshot and Severus literally sank to the picnic rug like a stone through water and bundled his daughter into his lap. He was silent and hugged her tightly to his chest.

Remus poured some tea and slipped a shot of brandy into it before handing it his husband. Minerva stopped him handing the cup over.

"Do you think that is particularly wise Remus? Mirari just told us your news. I don't think you should be giving Severus brandy."

Remus dropped the plastered on smile and pulled his hand away from Minerva's.

"Minerva, brandy is exactly what Severus needs right now. You have no idea what he has just been through. One shot of brandy can't do any damage, but it can stop him fainting from shock. I do know how to look after my own husband."

There were a few chuckles at this but they faded quickly when Severus failed to scowl or retaliate. Dumbledore moved quietly round towards Severus as Remus pressed the doctored tea on him and made him drink some. Dumbledore had seen the Potions Master in a similar state before, but none of the other Professors had and it was definitely unnerving them. Dumbledore placed a steady hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Severus? Is the baby alright?"

Severus mumbled something into Mirari's hair. Remus interpreted.

"He said 'Which One?'. One of the potions we used worked a little too well. Severus is carrying triplets."

Dumbledore nodded at Mirari and she scrambled off her mother's lap as the old man broke one his unspoken rules and wrapped the shocked young man in a fatherly embrace.

"It'll be alright Severus. I promise you, it will all be alright."

Remus gently placed a hand on the Headmaster's shoulder and moved him away a little, reaching at the same time to help his husband to his feet.

"We just came to collect Mirari; I didn't want to leave Severus alone. I think he could do with some rest and we really need to be alone, as a family. I hope you understand."

There were murmurs of "Of course" and various other useless phrases as Remus picked up his daughter and guided Severus back towards the castle.

The stunned silence of the picnic was broken by Ron as he held out his hand again.

"I think you owe me 400 galleons Rolanda."

"I do not."

"I bet he was pregnant and he is. I win, gimme."

"You bet that he resurrected a poisoned pet; he didn't, he took a potion. The sex potions bets don't win either."

"That is so not fair. Hermione, tell her."

"Oh be quiet, both of you," Hermione stormed at them, "Your bets were rude and offensive anyway. You've had your fun; leave it at that and have a little respect for what they are going through. It must have taken a lot of thought for them to decide to do this; it was a very brave thing for Severus to do. Can you imagine what he must feel like now, to know what he is going to have to go through? He'll have to stop working at some point; he may even be confined to bed. It will unbelievably uncomfortable, painful and for him frighteningly embarrassing. You really are unbelievably insensitive."

She stormed off towards the castle with the intention of checking the lab for any potions that might need tending to. She just caught Ron exclaiming,

"He's gonna be humungous," and decided that although Ron was _definitely_ not getting any sex for the next few days, it might be about time to discuss their own initiation into the world of parenting. See how he copes.


	15. Chapter 15

"Class dismissed." Hermione turned to clear away her notes as the students headed out for lunch.

"Excuse me Professor Weasley, but could we ask you a question?"

Hermione spun around to find herself facing a small group of third year Slytherins, concern was etched across their small faces. She recognised the boy who spoke as Michael Munroe, a favourite of Severus'.

"A question about the lesson?"

"No Professor. We were wondering when Professor Snape would be coming back. We were worried, what with Professor Lupin being gone and all. I mean, it's not that we don't like you, we do. You're Mirari's Godmother after all, Professor Snape must think highly of you and it's fantastic to have Professor Potter for the week. But we ... well ... we wondered if he is alright ... I mean ... if he was ill or something ... and well, we just wanted to know." The boy trailed off, running out of steam and courage and not knowing exactly what he wanted to ask, just that he wanted to know why Professor Snape wasn't there.

Severus was in no fit state to tell his students what was going on and it wasn't really fair to make him. The Headmaster had already stated that he didn't feel that it would be appropriate for him to make an announcement in the Great Hall until Severus felt comfortable with it and was actually there, but Remus had told them in no uncertain terms at the last staff meeting that it would be better for Severus if everyone knew by the time they got back. With that he had whisked his family away for a week's rest in the country to get used to the idea that there were three little Snape-Lupins on the way and that this would be a difficult pregnancy. The Professors had grumbled about it being unfair to give them the job of informing the students and so far, none of them had said a word.

It was Friday now; there was only the weekend before Severus would be back in the classroom and then there would be questions about why Professor Granger was staying on at the school and why she was taking over some of Snape's lessons. This was all getting way too complicated to keep secret and Hermione completely understood why Remus thought that it would be best for the students to find out whilst they were absent. Who could they ask for help if not their friends and colleagues? Hermione sighed and indicated that they should sit.

"Professor Lupin took Professor Snape home for the week."

She took a deep breath and knew that she was going to do this badly, "Okay, Professor Lupin thought that the students should be told why they were going away, but so far it would appear that none of your usual Professors have enlightened you."

The teenagers all shook their heads to confirm this and stared at her with a combination of worry and hunger. They now knew that there really was something to know.

"You all know that Professor Lupin and Professor Snape have a daughter, Mirari. Well, they decided that it was about time that she had a little brother or sister."

She tried to ignore the widening eyes and continued.

"Professor Snape used a Maternity Potion and he became pregnant, but something unexpected happened and they found out that there are three babies – triplets."

"Triplets? Wow, that's amazing." The students all knew that Professor Snape had been pregnant before, so it didn't seem so odd that he was pregnant now. Hermione smiled, that would make it a little easier.

"Amazing – yes, but also difficult. Professor Snape is going to have to rest a lot, so I will be here to help with lessons and eventually I take over for a little while. You have to understand that this will be hard for your Head of House. Multiple pregnancies are very uncomfortable."

"We understand. We'll look out for him. We won't tell anyone either."

Munroe found himself kicked in the shins under the desk for such a stupid promise, but Professor Granger hadn't finished.

"Actually, in this case, I think it would be better if you didn't keep it a secret. There are no plans to make an announcement and I know that Professor Lupin thinks that it will be better if everyone knows. So for this time only – feel free to spread the gossip."

Five identical grins cracked across the faces in front of her.

"Just make sure that you mention how difficult this will be for your Professor, as members of his House I am relying on you to watch out for him. Okay? Good, then get to dinner before you miss it entirely."

Ten feet scampered out the door; whether for food or the kudos of bringing the most amazing gossip since Peeves locked Professor Sprout in the larder in her nightgown, she had no idea. At least she had done what Remus had asked, they would just have to wait and see how the students responded.

Severus awoke with a start as his alarm squawked shrilly next to his head. God, he just couldn't get enough sleep, even if he slept all the hours that he wasn't working.

He rubbed the crick in his neck, he would have to just accept his limitations and transfigure a cot in the office. He could sleep properly during his free periods.

The door to the Potion's classroom closed gently.

"Right, that's it. I'm taking over all the marking. You can check the NEWTS essays, but other than that..."

"I'm not incapable Hermione, I can ..."

She had her hands on her hips, one eyebrow rising in an unconscious imitation of her mentor.

"I didn't say you were incapable Severus. You need to rest and the marking is the easiest way to free up time. I promise to be suitably scathing for you."

Severus sighed. Wondering briefly when he had become such a complete nancy. He was just too tired to argue anymore. There was power in snarkiness, maybe he had mellowed too much, he seemed to have given away all his power.

Hermione smirked at him.

"It's the price you pay for friendship Severus. If you have friends, you have to listen and concede your stubborn gittishness when those who know you, treat you as you are and not as you pretend to be."

Severus tried hard not to laugh. There was still part of him that didn't want to concede that much, but a bigger part that just really didn't want to wet himself when his muscles couldn't do two things at once.

"You have to use red ink."

"Okay, but I'm not doing spiky script."

"It's part of the impact."

"I know."

Severus growled, turned it into a groan and headed for the bathroom.

When he came back into the office, Hermione had seated herself at their now communal desk. She peered over the clutter on the desk and watched as Severus tried to adjust his clothing for greater comfort.

"Are you alright?"

"No"

"What's wrong?"

The answer was something like a grunt, somewhat muffled by the continued fumbling with clothes.

"I can't help if you won't tell me what's wrong."

"I feel unbalanced. My stomach seems to be drawn to the ground by gravity, I just want to lie down."

"Take your robe off."

The eyebrow made a brief re-appearance. "I beg your pardon?"

Hermione made her way around the desk and came up behind Severus, tugging his robe off his shoulders. He was already back in the light linen clothing from his previous pregnancy, no buttons and varieties of clothing lengths to deal with. Good, that would make it easier. She took a sheaf of parchment from the desk and transfigured it into a long woollen scarf. She folded and twisted the scarf between her hands.

"This is a trick that I saw Molly teaching to Fleur last summer."

She threaded the wide portion of the folded scarf around the Potion Master's wide girth, cradling the swell in the hammock of fabric and lifted. She tightly secured the scarf in the small of his back and spelled it to stay in position.

"There. Better?"

Severus ran his hands over the stretch of fabric with an awe that would have seemed rather over the top for someone not in the same discomfort. When he spoke, it was a whisper.

"Thank you. That's... ...better."

Hermione smiled, helped him back into his robe and returned to her marking. The noise of a full and unsupervised classroom tumbled through the closed door, Severus pulled his robes around himself and practiced a few calming breaths.

"Sounds like your class is ready for some snarking, Professor."

"Hmm."

He managed to sweep for the first time in weeks and felt uncommonly grateful for it.


	16. Chapter 16

By the time Severus was five and a half months gone, the thrall of the gossip had lost its power. He thought it a little unfair that the curious stares and muffled giggles should die down just as he was about to relinquish the majority of his classes to Hermione.

He was already as large as he had been when Mirari was born and twice as uncomfortable. The morning sickness had finally waned three weeks ago and now he had the embarrassing prospect of needing help to stand, sit, lie down and bathe for another three and half months. It was interminable; it felt like it would never end.

Remus was wonderful. He never grumbled about having to help him and took over much of Mirari's care. He got her dressed, made her eat her meals, took her to nursery and collected her, played with her. In fact all that was left was to Severus was reading her stories, snuggling with her in front of the fire and brushing her hair. His attentive husband even found the time and energy to massage the parts of him that seemed to constantly ache.

Remus actually felt thoroughly enlivened by the new demands placed on him by his family. He had never felt more needed and enjoyed being able to make daily life work easily for them. He had more respect for Severus now that he was taking care of Mirari more and realised how much patience the man must have hidden. He rarely heard his husband raise his voice to their daughter but it was all he could do to keep his temper in check sometimes and it wasn't as if he was an easily angered man. He worried about Severus, who was finding the pregnancy difficult and became immensely bad tempered at times. Remus held his tongue and tried to make sure that he was as comfortable as possible at all times. They had both taken the potion and neither of them had researched it properly but he was the one who had "knocked him up". It had been a joint decision but he felt guilty about what his mate was going through, simply for the fact that he himself did not have to go through it.

Severus had fallen asleep in the armchair by the fire. He had been reading to Mirari whom he assumed Remus had moved to bed, since she was no longer here. Looking at the clock he saw that it was nearly nine o clock, his husband would be patrolling the corridors in his stead watching for those who ignored curfew.

He threw the blanket off his knees and tried to hoist himself out of the chair; he needed the toilet and couldn't wait until the other man returned. After the third unsuccessful attempt, he tried twisting a little to manoeuvre up; he felt the stabbing pain of ripped muscle and collapsed back into the chair. He would just have to wet himself. Oh Merlin, this wouldn't do, it was so unfair.

A gentle knock at the door bathed him in relief, he didn't care who it was as long as they helped him.

"Come in."

Albus cheery smile floated in like a Cheshire cat, Severus tried desperately to ignore his friend's new robes. Were they made from curtains?

"Good evening Severus. I wondered if you would be up for a little company this evening."

"Albus, if you can get me out of this blasted chair, I swear I will listen to you talk all evening if you want."

The old man chuckled, leaning down to help lift him up and give him something to lean on. Severus tried not to waddle as he headed towards the bathroom.

"I just need to ... um ..." He stopped talking.

Albus quietly peeked into Mirari's bedroom for a glimpse of his darling God-daughter before settling himself into the other fireside chair. He carefully set up a chess game as he waited, hoping that it would make his friend feel a little more normal. Severus looked much less aggrieved when he returned to join him.

"Sorry, I seem to be incapable of independent movement at the moment."

Albus smiled warmly, "It's quite alright. I'll ask Filius if he knows any charms that might be useful. Shall we?" He gestured to the chess board; Severus made his first move and called a house elf to sort out some drinks. The pain in his side returned and he closed his eyes to concentrate of dulling the pain.

"How are you coping?"

"With my usual poor grace. I feel rather useless to be honest."

"You are not at all useless and you certainly shouldn't feel that way." He placed a hand on his friend's distended stomach, smiling as he felt the soft kicks from inside, "This is the most important thing that anyone can do Severus; there would be no world without new life. You are growing life inside you, do you realise how special and important that is?"

Severus smiled and placed his hand alongside his friend's. The house elf returned with their drinks and Albus used the distraction to cast a surreptitious healing spell. Severus relaxed a little; he noticed the warmth of the spell beginning to work but refrained from mentioning it.

"When I feel them moving inside me it... I feel an uninhibited joy that I once thought that I would never feel again. Sometimes I still wonder if I deserve it..."

"You deserve it more than any of us."

"I don't think about it that much anymore. My life has changed so much; things that used to consume me seem so pointless ..."

He shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"I just wish it wasn't so damn painful."

"Severus, I know that you have reduced you classes but I wanted to ask whether it was enough. Are you up to teaching? Your position here is secure and you will remain Head of Slytherin but I want to be sure that you are not doing anything which could put extra stress on you. We are nearing the point where Poppy said that you would need to stop work and ..."

"I am alright for the moment. I am only taking the OWL and NEWT level classes and Hermione is sitting in on all of them. It serves a dual purpose, she gets to observe how the classes are run so that she will be able to take over in a few weeks time and I don't have to get up to check the potions. If the students had to see me trying to stand up, then I would probably quit immediately but I can cope for a few more weeks."

Albus nodded as he contemplated his next move. He would be happier if Severus would just hand over the lessons to Hermione now, but he would not interfere.

By the time Remus returned Albus was getting well and truly trounced and would have liked to try and salvage the game but Severus was obviously tired. He made no objection when the DADA Professor politely ushered him to the door so that he could help his husband to bed.

Severus was fast asleep when Remus joined him in bed. He smiled at the scene before him; Severus was asleep on his side, one knee raised with pillows to make sleeping more comfortable. His hair, so soft and light ("damn blasted Lockhart fluffiness")from the pregnancy hormones, was fanned across the pillow. It had grown a lot during the pregnancy and was now well past his shoulders; Remus was glad that he hadn't cut it. Remus knew that his husband was more what women would consider dark and handsome, but he wasn't a woman. He could tell which women were aesthetically more beautiful than others, but he didn't "feel" their beauty. When he looked at Severus he felt it. It wasn't just because he loved him; he was truly beautiful to the werewolf. As Remus watched his love sleeping, filled and swelled with their children, he felt as though his heart could burst from all the joy that poured through him. Silently he slid under the covers and wrapped an arm protectively around his husband's belly. He buried his nose in his soft potion-spiced hair and sighed a deep contentment, planting one soft kiss on the long neck before nuzzling in to sleep.


	17. Chapter 17

Severus gave up his robes completely as he hit the six month mark and adopted long buttonless Asian style shirts and wide legged trousers. He wore nothing but black linen now, everything else was suffocatingly hot. The students had never seen him in anything this casual - and never thought about what might have been under the all-covering robes of late - and they were surprised by the change it made to their perceptions of him. He was hard task-master, demanding and unwavering in his insistence for the best, but without the harsh barricade of his usual style they suddenly found this more acceptable. It wasn't simply their concern about upsetting a heavily pregnant man that fuelled the fervour with which they applied themselves to Potions lessons, it was a realised understanding of the passion that their teacher had for his subject and the necessity for concentration and study to do well in it.

The other Professors put it down to a fear of doing harm; they worked hard because they didn't want to infuriate him into early labour. The Headmaster paid attention to small details; he was, however, equally amazed that a mere change of dress could open up the Potions Master to understanding. He was highly pleased, Hogwarts had never seen such a fervour surrounding Potions; it would be far easier for the man to hand over his lessons when they were all trying so hard.

Many students actually missed him when he finally stopped teaching around the seven month mark. Up until then he had been able to make it to the classroom and could conduct a lesson so long as he had help to get into and out of his chair. One morning he found that he just couldn't do it anymore and told Hermione that they were now all hers.

He spent most of his time lying on the sofa in the conservatory, reading or making notes. As he was going to be physically inactive for the remainder of his pregnancy, he had decided to write his own textbook. Hopefully it would be one that would aid his style of teaching. He knew that it would seem a little arrogant to assign his own creation as a textbook for study, but he was writing it for blasted creatures so they could damn well read it.

Severus was surprised by the volume of students who came to him for advice on their assignments. At first he tried to redirect them to Professor Granger but they were persistent. He wondered if someone else was directing them back to him. He knew that Hermione wouldn't do such a thing; Albus on the other hand would have absolutely no compunction about it whatsoever.

It did keep him sane. He was only giving out homework advice really but it made him feel useful and it helped him resolve some of his thoughts about the book. He appended a question and answer section at the back of the book and added every question that the students brought to him.

By the time he was eight months pregnant, he was confined to bed. He left the bed only to visit the bathroom, which Remus had to help him with. Even then he had to wear a support which stopped the weight of the babies from tearing at his flesh. He was indeed humungous.

There was no way on earth he was going to be able to be moved, the baby would have to be born here.

Severus went into labour at lunchtime on a Thursday. He was eight months, one week and five days pregnant; he had lasted a lot longer than Poppy had expected. The babies would not need any special care.

Severus had assumed that this labour would last a similar amount of time as the previous one had. So when the contractions began he rode them out, awaiting the stronger ones. He sent Mirari to play outside, not wanting her to see him in pain, it was too early for her to worry yet, there were hours of this to come.

Only there weren't hours. The contractions came quicker and quicker and before he realised how far along he had come, he began to feel the urge to bear down.

Mirari ran faster than she had ever run before, the doors of the Great Hall swung open before her and she ran for the high table screaming as she went.

"DADDY DADDY DADDY, MAMA IS HAVING THE BABIES. HE'S HAVING THEM NOW DADDY."

There was a general clattering of cutlery, hushes, whispers and gasps from around the hall. The staff were all instantly on their feet.

Remus vaulted over the table, scooped up his daughter and fled to the dungeons, Poppy was rushing somewhere behind them and he assumed that Dumbledore and Hermione would be close behind her.

The wards were down and the door was open and Severus was screaming.

Remus set Mirari down, taking in the scene before him.

The bed was drenched from where Severus' water's had broken. He was lying with his knees raised – feet flat on the bed, nightshirt hitched up behind his knees; he was panting. Sweat dripped from his forehead flattening his hair to his face in damp clumps. Remus was by him in an instant, hand grasped and crushed as a contraction hit. Remus was shocked to realise that Severus was already pushing; how long had he been in labour?

Poppy was casting spells as she entered the room. She stopped at the foot of the bed and appraised both the results and Severus himself. Severus was immediately racked with another contraction and pushed down; there was no choice to do anything else – his body demanded it.

"Severus. You are fully dilated; the first baby is in the birth canal and will be born very soon. You are doing really well. Don't worry, everything looks fine. The babies are doing well and I think this is going to be a very fast labour. When did it start?"

The only answer Severus gave was something in the region of "Unnnnngh" as he pushed again.

Albus, Minerva and Hermione came rushing into the room.

"GET.OUT." he screamed over his own fear and pain. Mirari looked terrified, but there was nothing that either parent could do about that for the moment.

Hermione picked up Mirari and took her into the living room. Minerva hovered just outside the bedroom door, listening in case Poppy should call for their help.

Albus plonked himself cross-legged in the midde of the living room floor.

"Mirari, would you treat me to a game of Tiddlywinks? Dobby tells me that you are quite the whiz and I haven't played for years. It's not often that one finds a young lady with the intelligence to appreciate a good game of Tiddywinks."

Mirari was torn between her concern for her mother and her favourite game with her favourite Godfather. A handful of chocolate frogs, a broad grin and the general essence of Albus eventually over-rode concern as though he gave off an amnesia pheromone. If anyone had looked in on that scene, they would never have guessed what was going on in the next room.

"That's good Severus. The head is crowning. That's it, keep going. Come on love, one big push."

Severus glared at her, gritted his teeth, gripped Remus, gripped the bed and pushed. That one long push seemed to last for hours to the tired man, he couldn't remember a time when he wasn't pushing and couldn't imagine one where it would be over. Moments later the air was filled with the cries of the first baby. There were however two more to come. Poppy called Minerva to take the first baby, a boy, after she had cut the cord. Within the next twenty minutes the other two triplets had been delivered. Severus was cleaned and covered and holding two baby boys whilst Remus held the little girl. The little girl was dark like Severus with bright black eyes. Both boys were sandy haired and brown eyed like their father, they were not identical though, which Severus was thankful for.

"That was quicker than last time." Severus sounded surprised but very tired. He had almost forgotten what this moment felt like; the moment that wiped away all the pain, all the discomfort and showed you what it had all been for. In that moment Severus wondered whether these would be his last children. The thought that he might want more frightened and thrilled him equally. Remembering the past few months, he latched onto the fear like it was the warmest cashmere blanket and resolved to wrap himself in it.

Everyone was cooing over the babies and telling Mirari what a fantastic big sister she was going to be. Remus was showing her how to hold her baby sister. Only Albus saw what was happening behind Severus' eyes and as he sat on the edge of the bed he didn't move to hold one of the boys but leant in and kissed Severus on the forehead. Of all the futures that he had dreamed of for his most beloved friend, the one of brood mother had never been one that had crossed his mind. It was the furthest possible path from guilt ridden Death Eater that he could have taken. He thought back to the life Severus had led before Voldemort's fall and compared it with the life he had now. Guilt ridden, blood sodden, pained, alone, bitter, twisted, rejected, misguided and desperate to wipe his soul clean. Severus had revealed so much of himself since the day the man had resurrected him. He was gay (something that Albus had never realised), married, a mother of four, calmer, fairer, more at peace and most importantly happy. Albus Dumbledore felt that he had never been more proud of anyone in his entire life.

"Severus, Remus." He got their attention.

"I was overjoyed when you asked me to be Mirari's Godfather."

Remus interrupted, "Albus, we were intending to use the same Godparents for all our children."

"Ah wonderful. That is not, however, what I was going to ask my dear boy."

They looked at him quizzically.

"I was wondering if perhaps I could hand the honour of Godfather over to someone else, perhaps Ronald? For Mirari too, not just these three."

Mirari looked like she was about to burst into tears.

"You don't want to be my Godfather?"

"Well Mirari, I was wondering if your parents would allow me another role." He turned back to Remus and Severus.

"Neither of you have living parents and you now have four children. I was wondering if you might perhaps think that a Grandfather would be useful."

Mirari scrambled across the bed and grabbed the old man round the neck in a fierce embrace.

Severus smiled and looked at Remus, who nodded.

"Albus, we would be delighted if you would consent to be Grandfather to our children."

Albus beamed at all his Grandchildren, "The honour, most decidedly, is mine."

FIN

A/N Another note that I didn't intend to make. However, I promised more chapters than I am delivering here. The reason is that the other chapters that I have written are set when Mirari is at school. So I am ending this here and that will be a sequel instead. If you are interested, watch my page and it'll start up soon. Thanks for the reviews, they are appreciated.


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